Bundeswehr mission in the Baltic States
Lithuania Brigade could be cheaper than expected
05.08.2024, 17:34
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Around 5,000 German soldiers are to be stationed on NATO’s eastern flank in Lithuania by 2027. This will entail high costs, but according to a media report, these will be lower than initially assumed. In the meantime, there are said to be problems with the infrastructure in the Baltic state.
According to a media report, the permanent stationing of a Bundeswehr brigade in Lithuania will cost less than initially stated by the Federal Ministry of Defense. The federal government is now planning to spend four to six billion euros on the purchase of military equipment, reported “Spiegel” citing a letter from the Federal Ministry of Finance. In April, the expenditure on necessary military equipment such as tanks and ammunition was estimated at six to nine billion euros.
According to “Spiegel”, the new figures come from a report from the Federal Ministry of Finance to the Chairman of the Bundestag’s Budget Committee, Helge Braun. In it, State Secretary for Finance Florian Toncar explained the reduced cost estimates in particular by saying that the Lithuania Brigade would be “made up of both new and existing units that are already equipped with material”. In addition, the specific “military areas of responsibility” of the combat unit had been specified since April.
In addition, according to the report, from the end of 2027, when the brigade is to be fully operational, there will be annual operating costs of one billion euros. But the new figures are also estimates, as the finance department has emphasized several times in its letter. For example, it is unclear how much the costs for “attractiveness measures” will be to encourage soldiers to move to Lithuania and, if necessary, bring their families with them.
Barracks construction is lagging behind
The German armed forces plan to permanently relocate around 5,000 German soldiers to the Baltic state for the Lithuania Brigade by 2027. This is intended to strengthen the defense of NATO’s eastern flank against Russia.
As “Spiegel” further reported, there is now growing concern in the defense ministry that the original timetable for the Lithuanian brigade cannot be kept. According to the magazine, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius was informed a few weeks ago that Lithuania is not making enough progress with the construction of the necessary barracks, training areas and buildings for parking tanks and other military vehicles for the Germans.