Lithuania says new US troop rotation is en route
Lithuania's president says a fresh US troop rotation is already heading to the Baltic NATO state, amid a wider American withdrawal from Europe.
A new rotation of United States troops is already travelling to Lithuania, the country's president said on Tuesday, in an announcement that underscores the Baltic state's reliance on American forces for its defence.
President Gitanas Nauseda said in a post on social media platform X that the deployment was under way, and thanked President Donald Trump and his administration for the move. He described the arrival as significant both for Lithuania and for security in the wider region.
"The US military presence in Lithuania is an indispensable part of our deterrence and collective defense," Nauseda said.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of a broader American force reduction in Europe. Lithuania said in June that Washington was reviewing its future military presence in the country, a process that has unsettled allies along NATO's eastern flank.
As a NATO member bordering Russia, Lithuania has consistently sought a sustained US military footprint on its territory. The fresh rotation is likely to be read in Vilnius as a signal that the American commitment to the Baltic region remains intact despite the wider drawdown.