ISTANBUL

The US is not planning to reduce its military presence in Lithuania, Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said Wednesday, insisting the Baltic nation faces “no risk” of losing any of the more than 1,000 American troops currently deployed on its territory.

In an interview with public broadcaster LRT, Ruginiene said Lithuania’s sharply increased defense spending has strengthened trust with Washington at a time when the US is reassessing its broader military posture across Europe.

“Next year, we will allocate record funding for defense,” she said. “For us as a small country, 5.38% of GDP is quite a challenge, but this challenge has already produced a positive outcome.”

Ruginiene added that while US troop levels elsewhere may be reduced, Lithuania continues to be viewed “in a positive context” by its strategic partners.

Her comments follow President Gitanas Nauseda’s announcement that he received a letter from US President Donald Trump praising Lithuania’s increased defense spending, an indication, he said, that Washington intends to maintain its focus on the Baltic region.

American troops have rotated through Lithuania since 2014, with heavy battalions deployed since 2019. The unit currently stationed in the country was strengthened with an artillery component in 2022.

Lithuania has recently invested heavily in hosting facilities for allied forces. In late November, Vilnius opened new military infrastructure for US troops at the General Silvestras Zukauskas training area in Pabrade.

Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said at the time that Lithuania would cover all associated costs and stressed he had received “no bad messages” regarding the continued deployment of US forces.

Ruginiene reiterated that the government’s increased defense budget has already helped secure strong backing from key allies.