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Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda
Photo: INTS KALNINS / REUTERS
Because of the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Germany is apparently considering expanding its military presence in Lithuania. This was announced by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda. Germany has stationed soldiers in the country as part of a NATO mission. During her inaugural visit, Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht promised Lithuania solidarity. Both countries are in talks on the subject, says Nauseda during a visit to an air force base in the Baltic country. This is happening “in the course of current events”.
After Moscow's annexation of Crimea, the Baltic countries also saw their security threatened.
That is why NATO's so-called Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) was created almost five years ago.
At the beginning of 2017, the defense alliance began deploying soldiers to the Baltic States and Poland.
The Bundeswehr has taken on the leading role.
There are currently around 500 members of the Bundeswehr with the troops.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas stated that there were already plans for sending additional Allied troops to Lithuania, including where they would be stationed.
He did not give details of the plans.
"The more aggressive Russian behavior, the more allies there will be in Lithuania," Anusauskas said.
At the same time, it was announced that Chancellor Olaf Scholz will travel to Washington on February 7 to meet US President Joe Biden.
At their meeting, the two want to talk about climate policy and the corona pandemic as well as the Ukraine crisis.
This was confirmed by government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit on Friday in Berlin.
Both countries have a close relationship, and the USA is one of Germany's most important partners.
mfh/Reuters