US begins rotation in Lithuania, with two battalions due by mid-November

Up to 100 US troops have arrived in Lithuania, and the remaining forces are expected by mid-November, Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas told LRT Radio on Wednesday, LRT reported.

The rotation began on Tuesday, Kaunas said. Another 10 to 12 arrivals are planned in the coming weeks. The troops will be stationed in Pabradė, where the first arrivals have already been taken. US military equipment is being transported through seaports and by rail, he said.

Lithuania is to receive two battalions: a heavy armoured forces battalion intended to strengthen regional security and provide additional response capabilities if needed, and an engineering battalion that will contribute to the national division and the development of the Baltic Defence Line.

The first troops in the returning US rotation landed in Lithuania on Tuesday evening, BNS reported. Different numbers of US troops have rotated in Lithuania every nine months, with interruptions, since 2014.

After the United States reviewed its presence in Europe, just over 100 US troops remained in Lithuania this summer. In September, it was announced that two US battalions would arrive in October, bringing the number of troops to more than 1,000, similar to recent years.

Last week, US President Donald Trump said the United States would consider establishing a permanent military base in Lithuania. The Lithuanian president welcomed the statement, while Kaunas said he would work to make such a 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.