According to a report by Reuters on October 6, Lithuanian Prime Minister Šinkvickus said that if Washington agrees to establish a permanent U.S. military base in Lithuania, Lithuania is willing to bear the related costs.
According to reports, Lithuania is a member state of the EU and NATO, and it borders Russia and Belarus. Since 2019, the United States has stationed a nearly thousand-strong armored battalion in Lithuania, with a rotating deployment system.
According to a report by Reuters in late September, the United States has confirmed the dispatch of another round of troops to Lithuania. Lithuanian President Naujentas said that the new batch of U.S. troops had begun arriving in Lithuania, and noted that the presence of U.S. troops in Lithuania is an important component of the country's deterrence and collective defense.
Sinkevicius said that last month, when he met with Trump's envoy John Cole in Vilnius, he suggested developing this arrangement into a permanent military presence.
"I am very happy that this idea has been taken seriously… This is a crucial safeguard for deterrence and security," he wrote on Facebook, "Our partners only need to make a political decision on the permanent deployment of troops, Lithuania is willing to bear the associated costs."
According to US media reports, Sikvicius also said in a Bloomberg TV interview that Lithuania will provide "optimal conditions" for the construction of military bases and facilities for the US military.
On the previous day (the 5th), U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that his government would consider the possibility of establishing a permanent U.S. military base in Lithuania.
A journalist asked about this, and he replied: "Lithuania is my friend. They are great people, so of course we will consider this possibility."
Media outlets point out that Trump's statement came at a time when Pentagon officials were evaluating U.S. military deployments in Europe.
According to reports, this six-month assessment is expected to be completed in December. It will primarily evaluate the US military deployments, military strategies, and base locations in Europe, and will encourage NATO European members to take on more traditional defense responsibilities. Baltic countries such as Lithuania are particularly concerned about the possibility of the US reducing its military presence in Europe after Trump takes office. In recent years, NATO’s activities along Russia’s western border have also raised strong concerns in Moscow. The Russian side has repeatedly criticized NATO for expanding its forces in Europe.
