The U.S. has begun withdrawing troops from Lithuania – LRT
More than a thousand U.S. troops are leaving Lithuania following the completion of a scheduled rotation. At the same time, the arrival date and size of the next contingent remain unclear, the country’s defense minister said.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas confirmed that the U.S. side had assured him that a new rotation would arrive. However, the details remain unclear. “When exactly, with what capabilities, and in what numbers—all of this will be announced later,” he commented.
Several sources in the Lithuanian defense sector, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the withdrawal. Davidas Matulionis, the Lithuanian president’s chief national security adviser, also confirmed some details.
U.S. forces have been rotating through Lithuania on a regular basis since 2019. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. shifted to a permanent rotation—typically involving over a thousand troops along with military equipment. This time, the pause between rotations may be longer: Washington is reviewing the presence of its forces in Europe and withdrawing thousands of soldiers from Germany and Poland.
Kaunas noted that he recently discussed the issue of the U.S. presence with Pentagon Chief Pete Hegset in Singapore. According to him, the Baltic states and Poland remain “exemplary allies” in Washington’s view, and this position has not changed.
For the Baltic states, the issue of the U.S. military presence is no mere formality. The alliance forces stationed there are tasked with organizing initial resistance and buying time until reinforcements arrive in the event of a Russian attack. That is precisely why the American contingent has played a key deterrent role here. Lithuania has already accepted a German brigade, which is expected to number up to 5,000 soldiers by the end of 2027—however, the question of whether this will compensate for a possible prolonged absence of American troops remains open.
More detailed information is provided by the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT.
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