President Rules Out Possibility That US Troops Will Not Return to Lithuania

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said he currently rejects the possibility that US troops will not return to Lithuania, even as uncertainty continues over the next rotation.

Speaking to Žinių Radijas, Nausėda said the United States had not yet completed its planning for the deployment of military forces. He said Washington had nevertheless made clear that it viewed Lithuania as a serious strategic partner that was meeting its commitments.

Nausėda said Lithuania’s consistent fulfillment of its obligations would also be taken into account in decisions about the US deployment. “For me, this is a direct reassurance and a very clear message that we can continue to expect United States troops to remain in Lithuania,” he said.

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For me, this is a direct reassurance and a very clear message that we can continue to expect United States troops to remain in Lithuania.

He also left open the possibility that the US rotation could become larger or change in a way favorable to Lithuania. He cautioned, however, that he had no guarantee this would happen. The president declined to give a date, saying previously announced deadlines had been postponed and he would look unserious if another date slipped.

More than 1,000 US troops and their equipment began leaving Lithuania in early June after their rotation ended. A replacement group did not arrive as usual, creating uncertainty over the next deployment. Lithuania’s defense minister said most of the new US capabilities should arrive this year, while army commander Raimundas Vaikšnoras said the United States would replace the departing troops but could not yet disclose the specific information he had received. US heavy battalions have rotated in Lithuania since 2019.

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If I started talking about a specific date now, and it was later postponed, I would look, as you would agree, not very serious.