Lithuania Offers to Finance Permanent U.S. Military Base

MILAN — The Lithuanian government has declared its willingness to underwrite the costs associated with establishing a permanent American military installation within its borders, a proposal President Donald Trump stated the United States would “certainly” consider.

“Our partners simply need to make a political decision regarding the permanent deployment of troops, and Lithuania is ready to cover the associated financial costs,” Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said on Facebook on Tuesday, according to a report by state broadcaster LRT.

Speaking to Bloomberg on Sept. 29, Sinkevičius elaborated on the prospect of a Lithuanian-funded U.S. base, comparing it to the Fort Trump proposal advanced for Poland. He noted he recently informed a U.S. official, “We would like to have American troops with a permanent stationing, and we are ready to pay the bill if that’s the case.”

The dialogue arises amid growing apprehension among America’s NATO partners concerning Trump administration moves to scale back troop numbers in Europe, initiatives that have progressed unevenly.

Sinkevičius thanked the administration during the Bloomberg appearance for confirming a new temporary rotation of American forces would shortly arrive in the Baltic nation. Continuous rotational deployments have been stationed at Pabradė Training Area in southwestern Lithuania, close to the Belarusian border, since 2019. Per a U.S. Army statement, more than 1,000 American service members were operating and training in Lithuania as of 2025.

“We are grateful to Donald Trump and the US administration for this decision, which is important not only for Lithuania, but also for the security of the entire region. The US military presence in Lithuania is an indispensable part of our deterrence,” Sinkevičius posted on X on Sept. 22.

Earlier in February, Germany revealed plans to establish a permanent 5,000-strong brigade in Lithuania, comprising both military personnel and civilians. These forces are expected to be primarily headquartered in Rūdninkai and Rukla, with dedicated training and firing ranges and housing.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding whether the German brigade framework could act as a model for a future enduring U.S. presence.

From Sept. 20-26, Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Robertas Kaunas conducted an official trip to Washington, holding meetings with executives from Lockheed Martin, Palantir, Northrop Grumman, and Mach Industries.

According to Lithuanian authorities, the Baltic state has acquired nearly €2 billion ($2.24 billion) in military hardware from the United States over the past three years, establishing itself as the largest defense buyer from Washington in the Baltic region.

Source link