Lithuania is leading a regional competition to secure a continued US military presence in Eastern Europe, Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said Friday.
"I believe that together, as a region, we will show that the best place for the United States in Europe is specifically the Eastern European part," Kaunas said, Lithuanian broadcaster LRT reported.
"If we were to call it a rat race, then Lithuania is leading," he added.
His remarks came as more than 1,000 US troops and their equipment began withdrawing from Lithuania this week following the completion of a rotational deployment.
The Baltic country has been seeking assurances that American forces will remain in the region amid a broader US review of its military posture in Europe.
Earlier this week, Kaunas said Washington had assured Vilnius that a new troop rotation would arrive, although details on its timing, size and capabilities have yet to be announced.
The withdrawal could leave Lithuania without a US armored battalion for the first time since 2020, when continuous American troop rotations began in the country.
Following the start of the Ukraine-Russia war in 2022, the deployment evolved into a persistent rotational presence of more than 1,000 soldiers supported by heavy military equipment.
Kaunas declined to speculate on when decisions regarding future deployments might be made but stressed that Lithuania is ready to host up to 1,500 US troops.
Meanwhile, Laurynas Kasciunas, deputy chairman of the Lithuanian parliament’s National Security and Defence Committee, said he expects US troops to remain in Lithuania, although potentially in smaller numbers.
The United States has recently adjusted some of its military deployment plans in Europe, while troop levels in neighboring Poland remain significant.
Lithuania has intensified efforts to strengthen ties with Washington and increase its role within NATO. The country plans to spend around 5.4% of its gross domestic product on defense this year, one of the highest levels among NATO members.
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