Lithuania to deploy nearly 400 troops to NATO and EU missions in 2026–2027

The Lithuanian parliament has approved the deployment of up to 385 troops to NATO and EU international operations for 2026–2027, state broadcaster LRT reports.

Under the decision, up to 80 personnel—including military and civilian defence staff—will serve in NATO’s Allied Reaction Forces, designed to rapidly respond to emerging threats with high-readiness land, air, and maritime units. An additional 20 may join the EU’s multinational rapid-response Battlegroups, which conduct humanitarian, crisis prevention, and stabilisation missions, including peacekeeping.

Up to 125 Lithuanian personnel will be assigned to NATO and EU command posts, available for deployment to international operations as needed. Meanwhile, Lithuania plans to maintain up to 160 troops in joint expeditionary forces, which carry out a broad range of military tasks, from deterrence and combat to humanitarian aid.

The EU Battlegroups operate in six-month rotations, with each group comprising 1,500–2,000 troops contributed by member states.