Particle.news
Download on the App Store
8 ARTICLES
·
5h ago

Germany Inaugurates First Permanent Overseas Military Brigade in Lithuania

Chancellor Friedrich Merz reaffirms NATO commitment as Germany's Armored Brigade 45 begins operations to bolster Baltic security against Russian aggression.

Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda, right, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz , left, talk to the media at the Presidential palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends a press conference in Vilnius, Lithuania May 22, 2025. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins
Image
Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, left, shake hands prior to their meeting at the Presidential palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

Overview

  • Germany's Armored Brigade 45, its first permanent overseas military unit since World War II, was officially inaugurated in Vilnius, Lithuania, on May 22, 2025.
  • The brigade currently has 400 personnel on site, with plans to expand to 500 by the end of 2025 and reach full operational capacity of 5,000 troops and staff by 2027.
  • The deployment, driven by Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, aims to strengthen NATO's eastern flank and deter potential aggression against Baltic states.
  • Germany and Lithuania are investing heavily in infrastructure, including barracks, roads, rail links, schools, and kindergartens, to support the brigade's long-term presence.
  • Chancellor Merz emphasized Germany's commitment to NATO's collective defense and announced plans for increased defense spending to modernize the Bundeswehr.