Officials in Vilnius and Tallinn say a fresh U.S. unit is inbound, resolving a lengthy wait for clarity on troop presence along NATO's edge. The gap opened when the Pentagon stopped rotating units to Europe in May, surprising partners while Washington reviewed its broader posture on the continent. That reassessment of how many U.S. forces sit in Europe has unfolded under the Trump administration, which has pressed Europe to shoulder more of the security burden, in part because Trump is angered by what he views as weak NATO support for U.S. military operations in Iran.
Nauseda posted Tuesday that "The US military presence in Lithuania is an indispensable part of deterrence and collective defense," calling the move important for the entire region and thanking President Donald Trump. In a separate Facebook note, he said the coming deployment would not be smaller than previous rotations, without providing a number. Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told local outlet Delfi in New York that a new rotating U.S. unit will arrive in Estonia shortly.
The return of U.S. troops follows a pause that began in May. Both Baltic countries have been waiting since June for Washington to refill the local rotations. There are about 1,000 U.S. troops in Lithuania, with 700 in Estonia, and officials say the arriving rotation will meet or exceed prior levels.
At 5.4% of GDP, Lithuania tops all allies in defense spending, and Estonia has been increasing its own outlays to deter Russia. All three Baltic states border Russia and back Ukraine; they report more Russian drone incursions and a rise in hybrid and sabotage activity they attribute to Moscow, which is why Vilnius argues a steady U.S. footprint is central to credible deterrence.
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At the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said the U.S. move "confirms that deterrence is working" and added, "Lithuania is a reliable partner, and today we received proof of that." For anyone watching defense exposure or regional risk, this is a signal that policy commitments are showing up as boots on the ground, with Baltic spending and U.S. presence aligned.
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