Lithuania says it would pay the cost if US establishes military base
VILNIUS — Lithuania is ready to pay the cost to set up a permanent U.S. military base if Washington should agree to establish one there, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius said on Tuesday.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would consider Lithuania’s request for a permanent base: “They are friends of mine, they are great people, so we will certainly look at it.”
Lithuania, a member of the EU and NATO, borders Russia and Moscow’s close ally Belarus. The United States has kept an armored battalion of almost 1,000 troops there since 2019, in overlapping rotations, meaning the troops arrive and leave every few months.
Sinkevicius said he proposed turning this into a permanent presence at a meeting with Trump’s envoy John Coale last month in Vilnius.
“I’m glad that this idea is being taken seriously... This is a critically important guarantee of deterrence and security,” Sinkevicius wrote on Facebook.
“Our partners only need to make the political decision to permanently station troops, and Lithuania is ready to cover the costs involved.”
Lithuania is prepared to finance the establishment of a permanent U.S. military base in Vilnius, as stated by Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius. U.S. President Trump has expressed willingness to consider this request. Since 2019, nearly 1,000 U.S. troops have been stationed in Lithuania in an armored battalion, and Sinkevicius highlighted the strategic importance of a permanent military presence for national security.
- Lithuania is willing to cover the costs for a permanent U.S. military base.
- U.S. President Trump is considering Lithuania's request for a base.
- Lithuania has hosted an armored battalion of nearly 1,000 U.S. troops since 2019.
- The proposal for a permanent base was discussed with Trump's envoy last month.
- The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of this military presence for security.