On Monday, Lithuania commenced the construction of a military base designed to house up to 4,000 combat-ready German troops by the end of 2027, marking Germany's first permanent foreign deployment since World War Two. This move follows Germany's commitment to station troops in Lithuania, a NATO and EU member that shares a border with Russia, made last year. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius likened this deployment to the Cold War-era stationing of allied forces in West Germany as a defense against potential Soviet aggression.
Lithuania's chief of defence, Raimundas Vaiksnoras, estimated the nation will invest over 1 billion euros ($1.10 billion) in the base over the next three years, making it one of the country's largest-ever construction projects. He emphasized that this investment is significant for a nation of 2.9 million people with an economy one-tenth the size of Germany's. Vaiksnoras also noted that the presence of the brigade would serve both as reassurance for the Lithuanian population and as a deterrent against Russian aggression.
The Rudninkai base, located near the capital Vilnius and just 20 km (12 miles) from Belarus, a Russian ally, will include facilities for up to 4,000 troops, storage and maintenance areas for tanks and other equipment, and a variety of shooting ranges. Additionally, about 1,000 more German military and civilian contractors will be stationed at other locations in Lithuania.
However, concerns have arisen due to the fact that only around 20% of the buildings at Rudninkai have been contracted for construction, raising doubts about whether the base will be completed on time. Lithuanian Defence Minister Laurynas Kasciunas assured that contracts for the remaining work will be awarded by the end of this year, coinciding with the end of his government's term.
The German government has requested parliamentary approval for 2.93 billion euros to procure 105 Leopard 2 A8 tanks, partly to equip the Lithuanian base, according to a confidential draft budget seen by Reuters in June. However, internal budget disputes within Germany's coalition government are threatening to undermine Berlin's commitment to modernize its military.
In response to the increased defense demands, Lithuania has raised its defense spending to 3% of GDP this year. Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte’s government has also increased taxes to fund defense projects like the Rudninkai base over the coming years. Simonyte emphasized the mutual importance of security, stating, "If we are not secure, there is no security for them," referring to Germany.