German Chancellor Olaf Scholz assured NATO partners in the Baltic Sea region of Germany's reliable military defence support during a visit to the region on Monday.
"Germany stands firmly at the side of the Baltic states," Scholz said in Pabradė, Lithuania, where he visited Bundeswehr soldiers.
Germany's commitment with the Bundeswehr is serious, he added, referring to the country's obligation to stand by NATO. "And that means that we provide each other with protection and that all states can rely on us to defend every inch of their territory."
Scholz's trip underscores the strategic importance of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
The three NATO and EU countries are among Kiev's most ardent supporters and fear the Kremlin's military aggression will not stop at Ukraine. They all share a border with Russia and were once part of the Soviet Union.
Reflecting this new reality on NATO's eastern flank, Germany is preparing for the deployment of a permanent Bundeswehr brigade in Lithuania numbering around 4,800 soldiers. The aim is for the unit to reach full combat readiness by 2027.
A preliminary detachment has arrived. Soldiers from the Bundeswehr's 10th Armoured Division are also currently taking part in a major NATO exercise in Lithuania.
Scholz met the Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda at the Pabradė military training area. He plans to travel on to the Latvian capital Riga, where he meets with the prime ministers of the three Baltic states.
The talks with Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė will focus on issues including security and defence policy.
A joint press conference is expected in the early evening.
The permanent stationing of the brigade in Lithuania is progressing at a rapid pace, Scholz said. This is the most important sign "that this is important to us and that it will now succeed."
Germany is investing massively in expanding its defence capabilities, Scholz said. "This is also linked to the decision that investment in the Bundeswehr will comprise the 2% of our economic output in the long term, year after year. That has been achieved this year and will not change again."
He emphasized the importance of further military aid for Ukraine, especially for air defence against Russian attacks.
The fact that Germany is providing Ukraine with a third Patriot air defence system should serve as an example to others, he said. This is "also the desire to signal to others that they will also join in, because we will not be able to wait until new systems are produced."
Scholz said, "We must ensure that more air defence options are made available to Ukraine from existing stocks."
