Generolė expects Lithuania brigade to be filled with volunteers: no need for other scenarios

Germany expects to deploy around 5,000 troops in Lithuania by the end of 2027, and the deputy commander of the German armed forces, Lieutenant General Nicole Schilling, believes the brigade can be filled with volunteers rather than conscripts.

“At the moment we are talking to many soldiers who say: ‘We want to know what the conditions are and what this will mean for me and my career,’” Schilling told BNS on the sidelines of a military conference in Vilnius last week. “We provide them with more information, and then they decide to go to Lithuania because they see the advantages even for their personal careers.”

“That is exactly how we see it, so there is no need to talk about other scenarios,” she stressed.

Earlier this year, German news magazine Der Spiegel reported difficulties in finding volunteers willing to serve in the 45th Armoured Brigade, which is to be stationed in Lithuania. According to the magazine, only 28–47 percent of positions in the brigade’s 203rd Tank Battalion and 122nd Armoured Infantry Battalion had been filled by volunteers. An internal German defence ministry document cited by the magazine suggested that only about 10 percent of the required 1,971 volunteer positions across the armed forces had been filled.

Following the report, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had assured him that Berlin’s commitments remained unchanged.

Schilling described the details reported by Der Spiegel as “completely normal” for such a process. She also highlighted efforts to present Lithuania as an attractive destination for service.

“I would like to start with the Panzerbrigade 45,” she said. “Der Spiegel reported in February that the German armed forces are facing difficulties in finding volunteers willing to serve in the brigade in Lithuania. Can you guarantee that all soldiers in the brigade stationed in Lithuania will be volunteers?”

“First of all, I would like to emphasise once again that Germany is convinced that German security begins on NATO’s eastern flank, not at our national border,” Schilling said. “Permanent deployment of German troops abroad marks the end of a policy of strategic non-intervention.”

She added that Germany is not accustomed to permanent overseas deployments, so every step is closely monitored. German media reports on details that are “completely normal for the process” of meeting personnel needs, she said.

“I can say that by mid-2026, the brigade will consist of about 2,000 personnel, which is significantly more than before,” Schilling said. “We are moving towards ensuring full operational readiness in terms of personnel and equipment by the end of 2027.”

“The steps we need to take in the intermediate stages are being coordinated now—this is a process. Having worked on personnel matters for nearly 20 years, I can say there is no cause for concern at this stage.”

“Let me rephrase the question: is there a risk that full voluntary recruitment will not be achieved?”

“Our soldiers feel very welcome here, as if they were at home. Lithuania’s support as a host country is truly exceptional and wonderful. That is why we will tell this story to all of Germany’s armed forces. The more soldiers are here in Lithuania and share this story with their families, friends and colleagues in Germany, the more it will spread. In truth, there is no better country for deployment than Lithuania, and German soldiers are increasingly realising this.”

“Even better than in Germany itself?”

“Well, apart from Germany as the home country.”

When asked about efforts to shape this narrative, Schilling confirmed that targeted measures would be used to increase interest.