• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Commander of the first NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group has returned to Lithuania to take charge of the stationed German Brigade

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence

2024-10-02
International cooperation | Security and defense policy

Today, October 2, Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasčiūnas welcomed back to Lithuania the designated Commander of the German Brigade Litauen Brigadier General Christoph Huber, the first commander of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group deployed to Rukla back in 2017. Minister and General discussed the principal processes in stationing the brigade and further steps to make sure it is moved to Lithuania smoothly.

"Commander Brigade Litauen Brigadier General Christoph Huber returns to Lithuania with a new mission. More Allied troops are gradually deploying to Lithuania, our partners have trust in us and know that we will offer the best conditions possible throughout their service in Lithuania and for their families here," said Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasčiūnas.

Minister L. Kasčiūnas reiterated that Lithuania was respecting all terms and commitments laid out in the Brigade deployment Roadmap Action Plan signed in December 2023. "We are making every effort to follow through every step of stationing the brigade in Lithuania smoothly."

On September 13, 2024, the countries signed an intergovernmental defence cooperation agreement in Berlin. The document was handed forward for ratification by the Seimas las week.

The bilateral intergovernmental agreement defines the procedures of using the assigned military territories, arrival, departure and movement of the German military personnel in the Republic of Lithuania, terms of sharing jurisdiction, security considerations, establishment of education institutions and accessibility of healthcare for Bundeswehr personnel, and other issues.

L. Kasčiūnas reassured that all the infrastructure areas and territories the German Brigade will use shall remain the property of the Republic of Lithuania.

As the number of German troops deploying to Lithuania are gradually mounting, they will temporarily use the infrastructure of the Lithuanian Armed Forces located in the vicinity of Vilnius: Nemenčinė and Rokantiškės. The military campus of Rokantiškės was unveiled this year offering excellent conditions for service and combat readiness building according to NATO standards. The German military will have everything they need for work and training in Rokantiškės and Nemenčinė. Servicemembers of Duke Vaidotas Infantry Battalion will be temporarily relocated from the Rokantiškės campus to Vilnius.

In December 2023 Lithuania and Germany signed a Roadmap Action Plan which continues to serve as the main guidelines for the project. The headquarters initial command element of the Brigade settled in in Vilnius in April, construction of the Rūdninkai military campus have been kicked off, other ongoing development of military civilian infrastructure continues.