In Germany, questions and discussions were caused by the published figures on how much it will cost to prepare a brigade for Lithuania – 10 billion. EUR and another 1 billion annually for maintenance. Lithuania plans many times lower costs. Germany announces that it wants to become the guarantor of European security, and the brigade assigned to Lithuania becomes an essential factor that will determine the pace at which the Germans will strengthen their entire army. About this – in the LNK report.
There is an unusual office in one of Vilnius’ business centers. The headquarters of the brigade assigned to Germany was located here, which will coordinate the settlement of the entire brigade in Lithuania.
“I assure you that German soldiers are here to stay,” claimed German Ambassador Cornelius Zimmermann.
However, the brigade for Lithuania caused a wave of questions and discussions in Germany itself, when Minister Boris Pistorius presented how much the brigade would cost. Creating the brigade, which is planned to be done within three years, will cost 10 billion. euros. And after another 1 billion annually for maintenance.
The entire LNK report is in the video:
“I’m glad it’s going as planned so far. Those plans are very clear, they are laid out for each year”, said President Gitanas Nausėda.
The Germans plan 6 billion euros for the training of Lithuanian brigade soldiers in Germany – from uniforms, weapons to new barracks. For 4 billion plans to buy heavy weapons such as tanks. The technology would be German, so this money would stay in Germany.
For Lithuania, the reception of the brigade will cost much less than for the Germans. “Over a billion euros. I would say so, maybe between 800 million. and 1 billion euros. Because, as I said, the need is not completely clear yet,” predicted Minister of National Defense Laurynas Kasčiūnas.
Lithuania’s main investment is to equip the Rūdninkai training ground for the Germans. Barracks were built, where soldiers of the German brigade who arrived alone, without their families, will live. After arriving with their families, they will rent apartments in Vilnius for German money.
“And if we said earlier that we would need some kind of quarters for German soldiers, then no, that won’t be necessary. They will look for somewhere nearby, in southern Vilnius, but basically they will go to the rental market”, said L. Kasčiūnas.
Minister B. Pistorius sets the goal that the Lithuanian brigade should be exemplary throughout NATO, but for this he is criticized in Germany. That the Lithuanian brigade is being asked for disproportionately more money than the other brigades and that the minister planned billions of expenses for the Lithuanian brigade without receiving the blessing of his boss, Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“This is a fundamental question. The minister needs the support of the chancellor. But there is no support. The minister asked for an additional 9 billion this year. euros, but received less than 2 billion There is a lot of talk, but words are not accompanied by actions. The Minister of Defense is not allowed to act. I don’t see the chancellor’s political will to strengthen defense,” said Bundestag member Roderich Kiesewetter.
Germany aims to become the guarantor of European security. And how it will go, according to German politicians, will depend on the creation of the Lithuanian brigade. If Minister B. Pistorius receives all the billions requested for the Lithuanian brigade, additional billions should be allocated to other German capacities as well, and the needs for this are enormous. “The German military needs a total of at least 300 billion. euros. And here is the question of how to achieve it by 2030.
And if we said earlier that some kind of quarters would be needed for the German soldiers, then no, it will not be needed.
Germany’s annual military budget is now about 50 billion. euros. We need 80 billion to reach 2%. GDP goal”, calculated R. Kiesewetter.
Even high-ranking German military personnel are lured to the brigade in Lithuania with monetary bonuses. A sergeant who would come without a family would receive a monthly salary of 3,115 euros and an additional 1,594 euros. A lieutenant colonel who would come with his family would receive a salary of 4,394 euros and a bonus of another 3,016 euros.
“Defence Minister B. Pistorius is very involved. He built all his credibility on the creation of a brigade for Lithuania. This brigade will be an incentive to increase funding for the entire German military. And it is not the ministers, but the chancellor who is destroying Germany’s reputation. The chancellor shows no political will. The so-called turn of the century requires more than just money. First of all, you need to change your thinking,” said R. Kiesewetter.
It is planned that 150 soldiers will move to Lithuania this year, and all 5 thousand. soldiers with equipment – in 2027
