Lithuania seeks permanent US troop base as rotation returns

Lithuania is seeking a permanent US troop base as a rotation of American forces returns to the country, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said. Proposals have been submitted to the US, and Lithuania is waiting for the outcome of a review of American troop deployments in Europe, LRT’s Žygintas Abromaitis reported.

President Gitanas Nausėda’s chief adviser, Deividas Matulionis, said the US remained Lithuania’s most important ally despite renewed tensions between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“Let a week or two pass and we will see how things look,” Matulionis said. “There have been similar cases and disagreements between the American and Ukrainian presidents before. America is our ally and will remain our ally. We are members of NATO.”

Nausėda and Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius criticised an agreement between the US and Russia, while also thanking Washington for the return of the troop rotation to Lithuania. Budrys said he did not expect Lithuania’s criticism to affect US decisions on future troop deployments.

“We should not think that one issue is hostage to another,” Budrys said, citing previous disagreements with the US over tariffs, trade and security interests in the north, including Greenland. “We resolved all the issues.”

Matulionis said the US administration’s current position was also shaped by approaching midterm elections. Vilnius University professor Tomas Janeliūnas said Lithuanian politicians did not want to become directly involved in the dispute between Trump and Zelenskyy, adding that doing so would not change Trump’s current choices or help Zelenskyy withstand the pressure.

NATO’s commander in Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, has also sought to reassure allies about the US position. Lithuania’s Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said the returning US troops were part of joint defence plans. A heavy battalion would strengthen regional security, improve the ability to respond quickly and send a deterrence message, while an engineering battalion would support the development of the division and border defences.

Defence expert Vaidotas Malinionis said the deployment would strengthen NATO’s eastern flank and send a strong deterrence message to Russia. He noted that Poland was also discussing a US base.

Lithuania has offered to cover all costs associated with deploying the troops and provide new infrastructure. Trump’s response, according to the report, was: “We will consider it.”