“I believe that an additional military presence of a battalion size in all Baltic countries is likely,” she told reporters in Šiauliai.
The Baltic chiefs of defence last year asked for a battalion of allied troops to be stationed in each of the three countries.
A battalion is a military unit consisting of 300 to 800 soldiers.
In response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, a rotational company of US troops and military equipment has been stationed in Lithuania since spring 2014 as well as a small NATO headquarters.
Moreover, companies of troops from other NATO countries have spent several months training in the Baltic states. Apart from US troops, German troops are currently training in Lithuania. In total, more than 600 rotational German troops and several hundred military vehicles are to arrive in Lithuania this year in several stages for joint exercises and training.
Russia sees the build-up of NATO infrastructure close to its borders as a threat and has threatened to take retaliatory steps.
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