Olekas says US troops will return despite no written confirmation

Lithuanian parliament Speaker Juozas Olekas says he has no written confirmation that US troops will return to Lithuania, but Washington has committed to sending them back this year, LRT reported.

Olekas told Lietuvos rytas TV on Monday that, according to information available to him, the troops had been promised a return before a final review of US forces in Europe. He said Lithuanian officials had received no other indications and were preparing to host US troops, while also seeking to establish a permanent US presence.

Olekas said he knew of a commitment conveyed to Lithuania that the troops would arrive and be stationed in the country this year, but had no document preventing a change to the deployment decision. He said Lithuania was taking further steps to make their presence a permanent base.

More than 1,000 US troops and their equipment began leaving Lithuania in early June after a rotation ended. A replacement group, which would normally have followed, was delayed. US troops are now expected to return in late October. US President Donald Trump had previously said Washington would consider establishing a permanent US military base in Lithuania.

Olekas said Washington viewed Lithuania’s efforts to strengthen its defence and its relationship with the US in procurement positively. He said US officials had described Lithuania as an example among European countries and pledged to stand with it.

US media have reported that the Pentagon is considering withdrawing about 25,000 troops from Europe. Under one scenario, the number could fall to 40,000. About 80,000 US troops are currently stationed in Europe, including around 10,000 in Poland. The US began regularly rotating forces in the Baltic states and Poland after Russia invaded Ukraine four years ago. Heavy US battalions have rotated through Lithuania since 2019.