Germany: Berlin to send 350 troops to Lithuania amid Ukraine crisis

Germany will send another 350 troops to Lithuania as part of a NATO operation amid tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the defense ministry said today.

“Bundeswehr (the German army) is sending another 350 troops to the Lithuanian combat unit,” said Minister Christine Lambrecht, who is visiting Münster. “In this way, we are stepping up our contribution to NATO’s eastern wing and sending a clear message of determination to our allies,” he added, assuring that the Alliance “can count” on Germany.

Chancellor Olaf Soltz said on Sunday that Germany was ready to send additional troops to the Baltic states.

Germany is leading a NATO operation in Lithuania, where 500 German troops have been deployed to date.

The announcement comes amid growing Western concerns that Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine. Western countries have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of gathering more than 100,000 troops on the Russian-Ukrainian border. Moscow denies intending to invade, but demands significant guarantees from the West of its security, especially that Ukraine will never join NATO.

Soltz, who has been criticized in Germany and abroad for his alleged submissiveness to Moscow, is in Washington today, where he will meet for the first time with US President Joe Biden. This week he will also have talks in Berlin with the leaders of the Baltic countries, while next year he will go to Ukraine and Russia.

SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ