On the Cathedral Square The German 45th Armored Brigade "Lietuva" was officially inaugurated in Vilnius on Thursday.
The President attended the ceremony Gitanas Nauseda, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Minister of National Defense Dovilė Šakalienė and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
Almost a thousand soldiers lined up on Cathedral Square, including: representatives of the German armed forces from the headquarters of the 10th Armored Division, the 45th Armored Brigade, the 122nd Armored Infantry Battalion and the 203rd Tank Battalion, along with the multinational NATO Battle Group "Lithuania" and Lithuanian army soldiers.
The 45th Armoured Brigade was presented with two ribbons: the first was presented by F. Merzas and B. Pistorius, and the second, giving the brigade the official name "Lithuania", was presented by G. Nausėda and D. Šakalienė.
"We are taking over the defense of NATO's eastern flank"
The President called the arrival of the German brigade "an exceptional event in the history of our country" and emphasized that they are arriving to help Lithuania ensure national defense and deter Russia.
"It (the arrival – BNS) testifies to the common values of Lithuania and Germany, our time-tested friendship, and ultimately – to the great progress of our strategic partnership in recent years," said G. Nausėda.
Later, speaking in German, he thanked the German soldiers for their presence in Lithuania.
F. Merz stated that by deploying a brigade in Lithuania, the country is taking the defense of NATO's eastern flank into its own hands, and thanked the Lithuanians for the warm welcome, which is not taken for granted.
"We are taking the defense of NATO's eastern flank into our own hands," the Chancellor said at the inauguration ceremony of the German brigade on Cathedral Square.
According to him, by standing together, Lithuania and Germany show that they are ready to defend European freedom from any aggressor.
"Lithuania's security is also our security. The defense of Vilnius is also the defense of Berlin. Our common peace has no geographical boundaries - it ends where we stop defending it," said F. Merz.
"That's why we are here today, and that's why we will stay here. Germany is keeping its commitments in both words and actions - today, tomorrow, for as long as it takes," he added.
"Enemies do not scare us"
D. Šakalienė said during the ceremony that Lithuania understands how much effort the decision to deploy the brigade cost Germany, and is sincerely grateful for that.
"Lithuania is proud to stand next to such a partner," said the minister.
According to her, Lithuania, which suffered from occupations, felt alone and betrayed, but today it no longer feels that way.
"Allied" soldiers "They are standing right here, determined to defend our people and land together with our soldiers. The story of the German brigade is our success story," said D. Šakalienė.
"We, Lithuanians, have learned through our painful experience that freedom is never simply given to us. We choose it, fight for it, and defend it. Our nation can call itself free because we have never accepted the chains of occupation," she added.
"Today, standing united with our German allies, we declare once again - the enemies of the past have not broken us, and the enemies of the future do not intimidate us," the minister said.
German Defense Minister Pistorius said the inaugurated brigade would be "combat-ready and deployed in forward positions."
"This day marks a significant step. What started as a small nucleus has turned into a large, growing force," the politician said.
"Historic Day"
Both Vilnius residents and city guests came to watch the inauguration ceremony.
One of them is Janina, a 22-year-old international relations student from Germany who is doing an internship in Lithuania.
"This is a historic day not only for Lithuania, but also for Germany. (…) I believe that the decision to deploy the brigade is extremely important considering the current security situation in Europe. This is a big step for Germany, because the country is finally taking on more responsibility for European security," said Janina.
The inauguration was also watched by 75-year-old pensioner Pranciškus Jasiulevičius, who told BNS that it was a very important day for Lithuania.
"This is important for Lithuania because of the country's defense. We hope that the brigade will provide more deterrence against enemies from the East," the man said.
"This is a great decision by Germany, because it's not just about Lithuania, they're also defending Europe," he added.
A concert by German and Lithuanian military orchestras is planned after the inauguration. concert.
The decision to relocate the German brigade to Lithuania for permanent presence was made in 2023. This is the first brigade of the German armed forces permanently deployed outside German territory.
On April 1, the 45th Brigade of the German Army reached full headquarters capacity. Currently, 500 soldiers of the German brigade are serving in Lithuania, and the full combat brigade capacity with 5 thousand soldiers and civilians, all necessary equipment, equipment and supplies will be achieved in 2027.
As reported by BNS, Lithuania and Germany have been actively cooperating in the field of defense since 2017, when Germany took command of a NATO battalion deployed in Lithuania.
Last April, the initial element of the German brigade, responsible for planning the brigade's relocation, arrived in Lithuania.
Authors: Karolina Ambrazaitytė, Saulius Jakučionis, Vilmantas Venckūnas
