Summary
Germany has launched its first permanent foreign troop deployment since WWII, stationing a 5,000-strong armored brigade in Lithuania to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
Officially activated near Vilnius, the 45th Armored Brigade marks a major shift in German defense policy, long averse to permanent overseas combat troop presence.
The deployment, set to be fully operational by 2027, includes support units and reflects NATO’s deterrence strategy.
Lithuania views it as crucial for national security, while Germany repositions itself as a more assertive military power.
Isn’t Germany worried about starting World War III by not letting the Russians do whatever they feel like?
For countries, poltical parties and even at the individual level, I think that this is an important lesson of the times:
Do not be too shy to act, do not be too afraid to stand up against the ones that are pushing the boundaries of what is tolerable.
A large military force massing on the border of a quasi-neutral country, with the stated intent of restoring order and securing its territory against invasion, has a certain 2022 ring to it.