Germany to Set Brigade in Lithuania to Strengthen NATO's Flank

On Wednesday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that Germany will commence the gradual deployment of a military brigade in Lithuania in 2023, at the disposal of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

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This deployment is part of the flagship “Zeitenwende” project, the execution of which was accelerated due to the Ukrainian conflict.

“We will make the division available to NATO in 2025, as promised, fully prepared, interoperable, combat-ready, and equipped with communication capabilities,” Pistorius said after briefing the Lower House Defense Committee of the German Parliament on the details of the future deployment.

“This is the largest project in the history of the German Armed Forces,” he pointed out, explaining that between 3,500 and 4,000 personnel will be deployed.

In the second quarter of 2024, German authorities will send an advance command, followed by the formation of a deployment team in the fourth quarter. Subsequently, the soldiers will be transferred to Lithuania as soon as the appropriate infrastructure is completed.

The intention is to integrate the brigade into the multinational enhanced forward presence (EFP) battle group, under German command, which has already been deployed in Lithuania since 2017. This way, the brigade will be formally commissioned in 2025 and will expand “as infrastructure allows.”

Germany is in “very positive discussions” with Norway and the Netherlands for their participation in this project, Pistorius said, adding that this project will allow Germany to make a significant contribution to the protection of NATO’s eastern flank.

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