The United States has begun withdrawing more than a thousand troops and military equipment from Lithuania following the completion of the latest rotation. At the same time, Lithuanian authorities say they have received assurances from Washington regarding the continued presence of US forces in the country.
It was reported by LRT, citing sources in Lithuania’s defense sector.
According to the publication, the withdrawn contingent is to be replaced by a new group of troops, though the exact timing and size of the next rotation have not yet been announced. The reason cited is the US review of its military presence in Europe.
The withdrawal of troops was confirmed by several sources in the Lithuanian government, as well as by the president’s chief national security adviser, Deividas Matulionis.
According to him, Vilnius has received clear assurances from the US side regarding the continuation of the military presence.
"We have received a very clear assurance from the Americans that the troops were and will remain, but I cannot specify the exact numbers today. The rotation of American troops involves logistics, so it is natural that certain time gaps may occur," Matulionis said.
LRT notes that following the start of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the US has maintained a permanent rotational presence in Lithuania consisting of over a thousand troops along with military equipment.
According to Lithuanian officials, the current transition period may turn out to be longer than previous rotations, but a complete withdrawal of the U.S. mission is not being considered. Since 2019, the US has regularly deployed battalion-sized contingents to Lithuania, and after 2022, their presence was significantly strengthened.
As a reminder, the United States is discussing the possibility of deploying additional nuclear weapons stockpiles in Europe. With this move, Washington aims to reassure its European partners that a potential reduction in military support does not negate overall security guarantees.
Who we are: About us, Contacts. How we write news and our principles: Editorial code. We did our best. If you found this valuable – please support us.
To request a correction, please send an email.