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The President in Germany: Permanent presence of allied troops in Lithuania is our priority

President of the Republic of Lithuania

April 27, 2023

President Gitanas Nausėda continues his working visit to Germany. On Thursday, the President met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The meeting focused on preparations for the NATO Summit in Vilnius, cooperation between Lithuania and Germany in security and defense, Russia's war against Ukraine, and the aggressor's accountability for war crimes and the crime of aggression.

Gitanas Nausėda underlined that defense cooperation between Lithuania and Germany was crucial for the security of both Lithuania and the eastern flank of NATO. The President thanked Germany for its contribution to the security of the Baltic region and its leadership of the NATO forward presence battlegroup in Lithuania. He said that the joint communiqué on bilateral defense cooperation, issued by Lithuania and Germany last year ahead of the NATO Summit in Madrid, underpinned the long-term commitment of both countries to enhanced defense cooperation. According to the President, Lithuania is determined to implement the communiqué as quickly and efficiently as possible.

"We take security seriously, therefore we are actively increasing defense spending and investing in military infrastructure. We are committed to hosting a full-sized German brigade as soon as possible. The permanent presence of allied troops on Lithuanian territory is our top priority. We on our part will do the most to create the conditions required for the deployment of a German brigade as early as in 2026," the President said.

During the conversation, Gitanas Nausėda highlighted the key priorities of the Vilnius NATO Summit. "It is necessary to approve regional defense plans ahead of the Vilnius Summit, placing a special focus on forward defense and effective deterrence. It is also critically important to strengthen Baltic Sea defense and regional air defense," the President said.

According to the President, the NATO Summit in Vilnius will be a well-timed opportunity to discuss future cooperation between Ukraine and the Alliance. The time has come to strengthen political engagement between Ukraine and NATO. We also need to agree on setting a floor for defense investment. Two percent of GDP is the bare minimum for defense spending, the President said.

The President and the German Chancellor also discussed the course of Russia's war in Ukraine and allied support for Ukraine. Gitanas Nausėda stressed that the speed and scope of support are crucial factors at this time. According to the President, it is necessary to allocate funds for rebuilding Ukraine, so that life in Ukraine, especially in the liberated territories, would continue and people would not lose hope. The President underscored the need to hold Russia accountable for war and aggression crimes. To this end, a special tribunal must be set up to investigate the crimes committed by Russia and increasingly tough EU sanctions must be enforced on Russia.