„I’d say it’s very likely. I wouldn’t want to speculate about possible dates, but it will be very soon,“ Budrys told LRT Radio on Friday.
„Lithuania has done its homework perfectly. We have put forward all our arguments and are confident about renewing the rotation. We are just waiting for the announcement,“ he emphasised.
The minister does not rule out the possibility that more American troops could be deployed in Lithuania in the future than before. According to him, this could involve forces equivalent to more than one or nearly two battalions. However, he said the specific number of US troops will depend on broader US decisions about deploying its forces.
Susiję straipsniai
„Continuity is very important to us. For this reason, the forthcoming global review by the US of where it has deployed its forces is also a very important process for us, as are the final decisions that will be taken at the end of the year,“ said Budrys.
„However, the general direction and the shared understanding that US forces on the eastern flank play a very important role, and that Lithuania is contributing its resources to support this, are clear,“ the minister added.
Budrys said that in Washington he had also discussed with the US Secretary of State the incident that took place in Lithuania this week, during which NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that had flown in from Belarusian territory.
According to him, Mr Rubio was well informed about the situation in Lithuania, and they also discussed other Russian actions on the so-called ‘grey front’.
„We discussed all of Russia’s actions across what might be called a broad ‘grey front’, some of which are very close to hotspots when it comes to military drones and incidents involving them,“ said the minister.
According to Budrys, both countries agreed that strengthening air defence requires increasing investment in its components, interceptor missiles, and radars.
„Both countries agree that we need to increase investment in air defence; we need to increase investment in air defence components and the defence industry, as its current capacity is insufficient. Global demand has grown enormously. Everyone needs interceptor missiles, radars and various related elements and components, so the European Union and the US must work together on this,“ he said.
The minister hopes that, as Lithuania faces these challenges, this will be taken into account when considering the deployment of NATO forces.
ELTA reports that Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas previously told LRT television that the majority of the new US military capabilities should reach Lithuania before the end of this year. According to him, Lithuania has received positive signals regarding the arrival of American troops.
After the rotation ended, more than 1,000 US troops, along with their equipment, began withdrawing from Lithuania in early June. Normally, one rotation of US troops would be immediately followed by another. Still, on this occasion the arrival of the new contingent was delayed whilst the US reviewed the deployment of its forces in Europe.
US heavy battalions have been rotating in Lithuania since 2019. Following Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Washington changed the status of its forces in Lithuania to a continuous rotational deployment.