Scholz promises Lithuania combat brigade

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised Lithuania to send hundreds more soldiers as part of the strengthening of NATO’s east flank in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It will be an entire battalion under German command dedicated to this purpose, one half of which is located in Lithuania and the other in Germany. According to Scholz, the direct link between the two deployment locations will “enormously increase the operational capabilities” of the battalion. “We will defend every inch of NATO territory in the event of an attack,” he assured him. Since 2017, a NATO battalion has been stationed in Lithuania, which has now reached 1,600 soldiers, one thousand of them Germans. This force, which initially numbered 1,200 men, will be expanded into a combat battalion equipped with heavy weapons. According to sources in Berlin, Germany will contribute a total of 3,000 soldiers. The command, with 1500 men, will be stationed in Lithuania, while another 1500 will remain in Germany but always in the context of strengthening the east flank. There are currently seven NATO countries participating in the NATO force in Lithuania. At the end of the month, the Atlantic Alliance will make a final decision on strengthening the east flank. Today Scholz visited the military training camp near Parabade where the German soldiers are located. Here he was able to see the 2000 self-propelled howitzers, the most powerful howitzers of the Bundeswehr that Germany has promised to transfer to Ukraine. On the occasion of the visit, the three Baltic countries renewed their strong support for Ukraine’s entry into the EU. “We must send as soon as possible the important political message of granting Ukraine candidate status for entry into the EU,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said after his talks with Scholz.