Lithuania gets its US tank battalion back while the Pentagon weighs pulling up to 40,000 troops from Europe
The Lithuanian leader calls the decision an encouragement and says fewer American soldiers will remain on the continent overall.
Lithuania is set to receive its US tank battalion back, though the broader American presence in Europe is expected to diminish, according to President Gitanas Nausėda. This shift in troop numbers is largely due to Washington's call for Europe to assume greater responsibility for its own defense, a stance President Donald Trump has echoed.
Lithuania's case, however, is seen by Nausėda as an exception, with the country's neighbors preparing for potential Russian aggression. The presence of American soldiers in Lithuania serves as a clear deterrent against invasion, as the Baltic nation continues to brace for possible conflict. With American troops returning to Lithuania, President Nausėda emphasized that the number will remain steady or possibly increase, given the overall reduction in US troops across Europe.
The battalion will retain its Abrams tanks, although an engineer battalion will replace the artillery unit, with a nine-month rotation planned. The Pentagon is currently considering a withdrawal of approximately 25,000 to 40,000 US troops from Europe, a move that would significantly impact neighboring countries such as Germany, Italy, and Spain, which are expected to be most affected.
Currently, around 80,000 US troops are stationed in Europe, with Lithuania's heavy battalions having rotated through the country since 2019.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
