Boris Pistorius says that if things continue like this, he will soon be able to apply for Lithuanian citizenship. The Defense Minister traveled to the country for the fourth time this year – and he will come even more often in the future. On this day, Pistorius is there to sign the four-page “Roadmap Brigade Lithuania” with his Lithuanian counterpart Arvydas Anušauskas – this also opens a new chapter in the history of the Bundeswehr in Vilnius and takes on more responsibility.
Six months after the Defense Minister’s surprise announcement that a brigade would be permanently stationed in Lithuania, the exact timetable and framework for implementation are now being decided. Rukla and Rūdninkai will be the stationing locations for the 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilians; they and their families will live primarily in Vilnius and Kaunas. There is already a lot of construction going on. “Schools, daycare centers, living space, everything is on the right track,” says Pistorius. The minister describes the purpose of the mission as follows: “We are ready to defend and deter NATO territory.” In the direction of the Kremlin, the SPD politician emphasizes: “We are sending a clear signal to everyone who could threaten peace and security in Europe.”
The Defense Minister speaks of a “lighthouse project of the turning point”
When the signing takes place, there is initially a Lithuanian flag in Pistorius’ place, but it is quickly exchanged for a German one. When he and Anušauskas put down the gold-decorated black ballpoint pens after signing the document at the Ministry of Defense, applause erupted. Anušauskas speaks of a historic event, Pistorius says that for the first time in the history of the Bundeswehr, a complete, combat-ready brigade will be permanently stationed in another country, which is a “lighthouse project of the turning point.”
The combat brigade on NATO’s eastern flank is scheduled to be formally commissioned in 2025 and will be fully operational from 2027. To this end, an incident command with 20 posts is to be relocated to Lithuania in the second quarter of 2024. The constellation staff should be in the country by the end of the year. The brigade is expected to grow through relocations in 2025 and 2026. Pistorius sees great interest in the Bundeswehr, and there are also attractive bonuses. The core is formed by the 122nd Panzergrenadier Battalion from Oberviechtach in Bavaria and the 203rd Panzergrenadier Battalion from Augustdorf in North Rhine-Westphalia. The third battalion is the multinational NATO battle group in Lithuania, which is already in the country under Germany’s leadership, but has so far had rotating personnel deployed in Rukla. Pistorius then visits the soldiers for their Christmas party.
There is enormous appreciation for the Germans in Lithuania. Pistorius is also received there by the President and the Foreign Minister. Basically, the Bundeswehr brigade is a kind of second army for the country, they emphasize in Vilnius. The Lithuanian army currently only has around 15,000 soldiers. People in the Baltic state know exactly how important it is to defend Ukraine against Russia; they fear that they could otherwise be the next victim. At the entrance to the Ministry of Defense there is a huge Ukrainian flag hanging right next to the Lithuanian flag. Defense and budget politicians from the SPD, Union, the Greens and the FDP also accompanied Pistorius to the signing of the so-called roadmap.
From Vilnius, Pistorius sends a small greeting to the Chancellor and the Finance Minister
The German soldiers and their families should have access to schools, daycare centers and doctors in German, if possible, and their relatives should also find good job opportunities here, emphasizes Anušauskas. “We are committed to providing the necessary military and civilian infrastructure.” Then he looks over at Pistorius and says: “If you hadn’t been behind it, we wouldn’t be here.”
The ministers are asked why it has to be a permanent stationing instead of a brigade on alert in Germany. Anušauskas refers to the year 2022 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Not an inch of NATO territory should be given to the aggressor.” And Pistorius looks back at the history of the Cold War. “At that time, the Elbe was essentially the border between the Warsaw Pact and NATO.” At that time, Germany was the eastern flank; back then it was the Allies who protected Germany with their permanent presence.
The project fits into NATO’s strategy of “deterrence without confrontation” towards Russia. But the big unknown so far is the question of costs. Including material installations, including the latest Leopard-2-Main battle tanks and hundreds of vehicles, as well as the relocation of thousands of families, the installation costs could amount to several billion euros, according to internal estimates. According to Pistorius, a brigade also costs 25 to 30 million per month to maintain in Germany – in Lithuania foreign allowances are added. “We will manage it because we have to manage it,” says Pistorius on the question of costs. A small greeting also to the Chancellor and the Finance Minister.
Pistorius concernsly points to the Russian arms industry
The minister found out indirectly that the material that has so far been delivered to Ukraine may not be sufficient during a visit to Lithuania Defense Services (LDS), a joint venture between the defense companies Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall. The maintenance center is used to store objects damaged in the war in Ukraine Leopard 2–A6-Main battle tanks repaired, of which Germany delivered 18 pieces. Details, including the number of tanks parked here, are secret. But there is damage caused by Russian fire that has never been done to these tanks before. The tank manufacturers learn a lot here – after repairs, they return to the front in Ukraine.
Pistorius’ recent statements show how worried he is; he points out that Russian President Vladimir Putin is increasing arms production by more than 60 percent and could strike an even bigger blow in five to eight years. The Bundeswehr is expecting that the special fund of 100 billion euros for new purchases could be used up in 2027/2028.
So far it has been counted towards NATO’s two percent target, which states that two percent of gross domestic product must be spent on defense. However, if the special fund is used up, the regular defense budget would have to increase by around 25 to 30 billion euros per year. Therefore, a Bundeswehr special fund II of a similar amount is now being discussed in the Bundestag, but this would require the support of the Union. In shaky budget times, however, it would offer significantly more planning security, indirectly also for the Lithuania Brigade’s prestige project.