365bet�����������籭

Speaking at a joint news conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Vilnius, Merz said the deployment of a German brigade in Lithuania will further strengthen NATO's eastern flank.

“The security of our Baltic allies is also our security. We stand firmly by the side of our partners in the Baltic states,” Merz said. “Dear Lithuanians, you can rely on us, you can rely on Germany. Our soldiers are making a decisive contribution to this mission,” he added.

The German chancellor accused Russia of revisionist policies and stressed that the war in Ukraine serves as a wake-up call for other European countries.

“Russia's aggressive revisionism not only threatens the security and territorial integrity of Ukraine. This revisionism threatens our common security in Europe and the entire Euro-Atlantic area,” Merz said. “That is why Germany and other allies have decided to strengthen NATO's eastern flank. We are therefore stationing an entire brigade in Lithuania.”

Germany has begun permanently deploying a brigade in Lithuania as part of its plan to strengthen its NATO role and take greater responsibility for European defense. The brigade, which will include up to 5,000 soldiers, will be deployed gradually over the coming years and is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2027.

NATO's current target for member countries is to spend at least 2% of their GDP annually on defense. Germany has only recently met this threshold after significantly boosting its defense budget following the start of Russia-Ukraine war. A proposed increase to 5% would require Germany to allocate approximately €225 billion ($254 billion) for military procurement, defense-related areas, and infrastructure investments.