Nausėda says new US troop rotation is heading to Lithuania

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda says a new rotation of US troops is on its way to Lithuania, LRT reported.

“Excellent news for Lithuania. US troops will continue to be in our country,” Nausėda said in a statement issued by the Presidential Palace on Tuesday. He thanked US President Donald Trump and the US administration for the decision, saying the US military presence in Lithuania was an essential part of the country’s deterrence and collective defence.

“The determination of our allies to stand with us sends a clear message that NATO is ready to defend every centimetre of its territory,” Nausėda said.

The president said the exact number of US troops was not yet clear, but it would not be lower than previously.

The United States is currently reviewing its military presence in Europe, according to BNS. More than 1,000 US troops ended their rotation in Lithuania this summer.

The United States has regularly deployed troop battalions in Lithuania since 2019. After Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Washington changed the status of its forces in Lithuania to continuous rotational deployment. These reinforced battalions have usually consisted of 1,000 or more troops and various types of military equipment.