Lithuania’s acting foreign minister positive about US troop return

Lithuania’s acting foreign minister, Kęstutis Budrys, says he is positively disposed toward the rotation of US troops in Lithuania, LRT reports.

Budrys told journalists in the Seimas on Friday that he had received assurances that details would be announced soon. “I received confirmation that we will know how everything looks in the near future,” he said.

He added that the issue of US troop presence in Lithuania was discussed with the supreme allied commander in Europe during the NATO summit in Ankara. “We hope that this information will reach us soon and we will be able to announce it,” Budrys said.

“I trust those who do the planning, who set the schedules and deadlines. From a political perspective, what is important to us is the direction in which all this is moving, and whether we can somehow further influence the process. All the arguments—political, economic, financial, strategic—are known to the US side. I know that planning is underway. When they finish it, they will announce those numbers. I am positively disposed,” he said.

Over 1,000 US troops left Lithuania at the start of June after their rotation ended. It remains unclear who will replace them and when. Defence minister Robertas Kaunas has said he received assurances from allies that new troops will arrive after the current rotation.

President Gitanas Nausėda and army commander Raimundas Vaikšnoras have previously stated that Washington is sending very positive signals about the continued presence of US troops in Lithuania.

Earlier in June, Laurynas Kasčiūnas, deputy chair of the Seimas National Security and Defence Committee, said he had information that new troops would arrive in July.

ELTA notes that Washington began permanently rotating forces in the Baltic states and Poland after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago. The US has decided on the continuous rotation of its forces in the Baltic region. Lithuania, for its part, has committed to providing all necessary support and infrastructure for incoming US troops.

US heavy battalions have been rotating in Lithuania since 2019. As of mid-April, around 86,000 US troops were stationed in Europe, with approximately 39,000 in Germany. This number fluctuates due to rotations, exercises, and other reasons.