The European Commissioner for Defence and the Space Industry, Andrius Kubilius, proposed placing a Ukrainian battalion in Lithuania near the permanently stationed German brigade and the rotational forces of the United States, calling it an additional and timely security guarantee for the region.
During the international Defending Baltics 2025 conference in Vilnius, Kubilius noted that a capable Ukrainian army could play a key role in strengthening collective defense on NATO’s northeastern flank after peace is restored in Ukraine.
Context and implications of the initiative
“It would be good if a capable Ukrainian army, after peace is restored in Ukraine, were to be present in all the countries of our border region, beginning with the Baltic region, and in Lithuania alongside the German brigade and rotational units of the United States.”
– Andrius Kubilius
Kubilius warned that the current Russian army, in terms of strength, exceeds its capabilities as of February 2022, when Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“Ukrainians themselves say that Russia’s capabilities in the use of drones are the same as in Ukraine, and in some cases even stronger,” he said. “We will face a Russian army capable of controlling four to five million drones a year. No army on the EU side has such experience.”
– Andrius Kubilius
Kubilius emphasized that EU countries should draw lessons from Ukraine’s frontline experience: Ukraine is a European state with an army tested on the battlefield – 800,000 troops capable of controlling millions of drones, and with an industry ready for war. He urged EU governments to act quickly.
Germany plans to deploy in Lithuania a brigade of about 4,000–5,000 personnel by the end of 2027. The main part of the troops will be stationed at the Rudninkai Training Ground in the Šalčininkai district, while engineering and reconnaissance units will be stationed in Rukla, near Jonava.
US forces are currently stationed in Lithuania on a rotational basis: units rotate roughly every nine months. The new rotation began in October, and Lithuanian officials are negotiating with Washington to extend the agreement.
The addition of a Ukrainian battalion, according to Kubilius, would complement these deployments and strengthen deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank.