First returning US rotation troops land in Lithuania

The first US troops returning as part of a rotation have landed in Lithuania, President Gitanas Nausėda said Tuesday evening, LRT reported.

“Great news: the first returning US rotation troops have landed on Lithuanian soil. Together, we are stronger,” Nausėda wrote on X, thanking US President Donald Trump.

US troops have rotated in and out of Lithuania, in varying numbers and with breaks, every nine months since 2014, the BNS news agency reported. During a US review of its presence in Europe this summer, just over 100 American troops remained in Lithuania. In September, it was announced that two US battalions would arrive by the end of October, bringing the total to more than 1,000 troops, similar to recent years.

Last week, Trump said the United States would consider establishing a permanent military base in Lithuania. Nausėda welcomed the statement, saying it showed Washington’s trust in Lithuania, while Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said he would work to make the base a reality.

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius has said Lithuania is ready to host US troops permanently and cover the costs of a base if the United States decides to establish one.