“We saw that there is no problem in finding enough German soldiers who would be happy to come to Lithuania,” O. Scholz said on Monday in Riga, at a joint press conference with the prime ministers of the Baltic countries.
“It is important to have the necessary infrastructure and conditions. Of course, this cannot happen overnight, but we are trying to do everything as soon as possible,” he added.
The Prime Minister of Lithuania Ingrida Šimonytė also noted that the German brigade is being deployed between Vilnius and Berlin smoothly.
“This is a priority of the Government of Lithuania and a maturing exemplary success story that our countries are writing together,” said I. Šimonytė at the quadrilateral meeting held before the press conference.
ELTA reminds that O. Scholz visited Lithuania on Monday, where he met with President Gitan Nausėda at the training ground of General Silvestros Žukauskas. The head of the country discussed with the German chancellor the process of permanent deployment of the brigade in Lithuania.
In April, the first element of the German brigade arrived in Lithuania – over 20 soldiers who will be responsible for planning the brigade’s transfer to Lithuania and coordinating the requirements for the military infrastructure. Also, the primary element of the headquarters, which will be raised by the end of the year, will help with the transfer of German troops to the country.
In total, it is intended to transfer about 5 thousand people to Lithuania. Soldiers and civilians of the German brigade. Some of them will come with their families.
It is planned that the majority of the brigade will be transferred to Lithuania by 2026. According to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, the brigade will gain full operational capacity in 2027.
Berlin undertook to deploy a brigade-sized military unit in Lithuania in the summer of 2022 – such an agreement is provided for in the communique signed by O. Scholz and G. Nausėda
Tags: Scholz problem finding German soldiers brigade stationed Lithuania
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