„We are committed to defending the Eastern flank, and we are very grateful to Lithuania. At this point, nothing will change. Still, we are constantly reviewing the deployment of our forces to ensure that it responds to the threat to the United States and the NATO alliance,“ Whitaker said on Wednesday on LRT television's Dienos Tema programme.
„(The US – ELTA) soldiers are very well received. We are grateful for the kindness of the Lithuanian people and government towards them. Yesterday, I visited the soldiers, saw the base and the new construction, how well the new buildings are coming along and how our soldiers are being treated,“ the diplomat assured.
According to him, the US commitment to NATO and the defence of the Eastern flank of Europe is 'ironclad,' and the country will continue to strive to deploy its military forces in a manner that responds to all threats.
Susiję straipsniai
„We must always be prepared to ensure that we can defend every inch of NATO. We must ensure that NATO allies are strong,“ Whitaker said.
According to Whitaker, a US rotational battalion combat group is deployed in Lithuania, and in October, approximately 1,000 US soldiers who are not currently training there will arrive to replace them.
Currently, approximately 70,000 US troops are deployed in Europe, with nearly half of them stationed in Germany.