Germany is sending troops on a permanent deployment to a foreign nation for the first time since World War II. Germany had agreed to deploy troops to Lithuania back in June but did not set an official date for deployment at that time. Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas met with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Monday to discuss a multi-year “Roadmap Action Plan.”
“The eastern flank has now moved to the east, and it’s the duty of Germany to protect it,” Pistorius said Monday during a joint press conference. Around 4,800 troops will be permanently positioned in Lithuania, arriving in increments from 2024 until 2027. Pistorius called the move historic and likened it to the troops stationed in West Germany during the Cold War to protect the nation from Soviet aggression. Lithuania borders both Russia and Belarus. For years, Putin has said that Russia would not respond well if cornered by NATO. He attempted to broker numerous deals to prevent “NATO aggression” and avoid a large-scale conflict. But NATO is not an organization of peace.
“We will ensure reliable deterrence and we will be ready to [defend] NATO. We are sending a clear signal with this step to those who present a threat to peace and security in Europe,” Pistorius commented. He also noted that taxes must be raised to support this new NATO deterrent plan but did not elaborate on how they will extort their own citizens to pay for the war that they so desperately want.
Why would this deter Russia? They cannot simply retreat and go about business as usual. This move is merely a glimpse into the future. Additional NATO nations will also permanently deploy troops as the waves of the cycle of war continue to grow, building up to the next world war.
