The move marks the first time Germany has installed a permanent military presence in another country since World War II. Merz last month signaled that Germany would send troops to Lithuania on a long-term basis. The deployment is meant to shore up the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's eastern flank and to ensure "the security of our Baltic allies is also our security," Merz said during the event. German officials expect the 45th Armored Brigade to be at full strength in late 2027. At that point, it is expected to have around 4,800 soldiers and 2,000 vehicles, including tanks and will be headquartered in the Lithuanian city of Rudninkai, near the capital. Earlier in the month, Merz said Germany planned to build the "strongest conventional army in Europe," citing a demand from its "friends and partners." Lithuania is straddled by allies Belarus to the east and the Russian province of Kaliningrad to the west.

Germany is deploying soldiers beyond its border, moving troops into Lithuania to defend its European neighbor. Deploying troops to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius is an indefinite move, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on X, accompanied by photos of him greeting soldiers.

Germany returns to deploying troops abroad for the first time since World War II. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Lithuania, on the occasion of the establishment of a German armored brigade intended to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. This is the first permanent military deployment abroad since World War II: a significant event that aims to deter possible Russian aggression against Lithuania and the other Baltic states, Estonia and Latvia, which are increasingly concerned about Moscow’s aims. “Russia, as it is today, – said the chancellor speaking in Vilnius alongside Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda – represents a threat to all of us. It is against this threat that we are defending ourselves, and that is why we are here today”.