US to keep military presence in Lithuania—PM
Speaking to public broadcaster LRT, Ruginiene highlighted that Lithuania’s significant rise in defense spending has strengthened confidence with Washington during a period when the US is reviewing its wider European military commitments. “Next year, we will allocate record funding for defense,” she said. “For us as a small country, 5.38% of GDP is quite a challenge, but this challenge has already produced a positive outcome.”
The prime minister added that although US forces elsewhere in Europe may see reductions, Lithuania remains “in a positive context” with its strategic partners.
Her remarks follow an announcement by President Gitanas Nauseda that he had received a letter from US President Donald Trump praising Lithuania’s defense investment—a sign, he noted, that Washington intends to maintain its strategic focus on the Baltic region.
American troops have been rotating through Lithuania since 2014, with permanent heavy battalions deployed since 2019. The current unit was bolstered with an artillery component in 2022.
Lithuania has also invested substantially in infrastructure to support allied forces. In late November, new facilities for US troops were inaugurated at the General Silvestras Zukauskas training area in Pabrade. Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas confirmed that Lithuania would cover all related costs and reported receiving “no bad messages” regarding the continued deployment of US forces.
Ruginiene emphasized that the increased defense budget has already reinforced Lithuania’s position with key allies, securing strong backing for the country’s ongoing security commitments.
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