Germany's NATO Brigade in Lithuania Ahead of Schedule, Conscription Possible

Lithuania's Defense Minister Robert Kaunas lauded the swift establishment of a German army brigade in his Baltic nation, stating that progress is ahead of the planned schedule.

"We are very far along with building the infrastructure and can begin the second phase earlier," Kaunas told the newspaper Welt. He described the brigade's deployment as a "milestone for German-Lithuanian relations." The Panzerbrigade 45, as the Lithuania brigade is officially known, began service in April 2025. It is expected to reach its full strength of 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilian employees by the end of 2027, at which point it will be operational. Currently, approximately 1,800 Bundeswehr personnel are stationed in Lithuania, with numbers projected to reach 2,000 by the end of this year. This brigade's establishment, announced in 2022, marks the first permanent deployment of a major Bundeswehr unit abroad.

To achieve its target personnel numbers, the Bundeswehr plans to rely on volunteers. However, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has not ruled out conscripting soldiers for service in the brigade. "There will likely be a percentage that has to be conscripted," Pistorius stated on the ARD program Bericht aus Berlin. He emphasized that the priority is ensuring the brigade is fully functional and capable of fulfilling its mission on NATO's eastern flank. Shortages are particularly noted in specialized areas such as technology, logistics, and NBC defense, where the pool of potential volunteers is smaller than for combat troops. Pistorius confirmed that if volunteer numbers prove insufficient, personal discussions will occur, and "in doubt, a conscription will be issued."