Germany Deploys Troops to Lithuania in First Permanent Foreign Deployment Since World War II

German soldiers attend a ceremony to bid farewell to the U.S. soldiers who died at Pabrade military training ground, at the Cathedral Square in Vilnius, Lithuania, on April 3, 2025. Petras Malukas/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

Germany has activated its first permanent foreign troop deployment since World War II, establishing a 5,000-strong armored brigade in Lithuania. This decision follows Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’ announcement in 2023 to bolster troop presence on NATO‘s eastern flank in response to the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian War.