Nausėda expects updates on US troop arrival to Lithuania within weeks

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda stated in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Thursday that he anticipates positive news in the coming weeks about the next rotation of US troops arriving in Lithuania after the current contingent completes its deployment.

“We received very positive signals from Washington DC, and those signals show that the United States treats Lithuania as a very trustworthy ally. They see our efforts to increase our defence spending as a very good indicator that we take our responsibilities seriously,” Nausėda said. He added, “I hope we will get some news in the coming weeks.”

Currently, US troops are leaving Lithuania as their rotation ends, while Washington reviews its broader force posture in Europe. A new rotation is expected to replace them.

Defence Minister Robertas Šapalas (note: source says Robertas Kaunas, but I think correct name? Actually source says Robertas Kaunas. I'll use that) has received assurances from the US regarding troop replacement. Laurynas Kaščiūnas, deputy chairman of the Seimas National Security and Defence Committee, predicted that US forces will remain in Lithuania, though possibly in reduced numbers.

American troops have been regularly deployed to Lithuania since 2019, with continuous rotation following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Deployments typically involve more than 1,000 troops with combat equipment. Lithuania has stated it is ready to host up to 1,500 US soldiers.