For the first time, the German armed forces - the Bundeswehr - are permanently stationed abroad. On April 1, 2024, the 45th Tank Brigade officially began service in Lithuania. This is one of Germany's largest military initiatives to strengthen NATO's eastern flank. This was reported by DW.
The brigade will remain in Lithuania on a permanent basis - this is the first case in the history of the Bundeswehr. The military mobilization is being carried out at the request of the Lithuanian government. The country is located between Russia's exclave - the Kaliningrad Oblast - and its ally, Belarus, and has strategic importance for NATO.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that Germany is ready to defend every inch of NATO territory. In response, Lithuania also increased its defense budget. In Germany, the government, headed by the new Chancellor Friedrich Mertz, expressed its readiness to drastically increase military spending.
The full mobilization of the brigade is planned to be completed by the end of 2027. It is noted that the project is financially and logistically complex for both Germany and Lithuania.
Also, it may not be easy for 4,800 military and 200 civilian personnel to be accustomed to serving in Lithuania for several years. Therefore, in order to make service more attractive in the Bundeswehr, a draft law has been developed that provides for an increase in the salary of military personnel serving abroad.
