Lithuania and Latvia have announced their readiness to accept additional American troops on their territory after the US announced a plan to reduce its military presence in Germany. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze announced this in an interview with Bloomberg published on May 11.
The official emphasized that Latvia is consulting with American allies and is ready to support the deployment of additional US forces.
For his part, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys noted that Vilnius supports the presence of American troops in Europe and is ready to receive them “anywhere” on the continent. He emphasized that closer to the aggressor country of Russia, the role of American troops in deterrence is more effective.
The EU's chief diplomat Kaja Kallas also expressed her position on the importance of the US presence in Europe. She noted that American troops protect not only Europe, but also the interests of the United States itself.
Bloomberg notes that Latvia and Lithuania are members of NATO and the EU and are among the largest supporters of increased defense cooperation with the United States in the region. Both countries have also significantly increased defense spending in recent years.
