German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius met the pre-command of the Bundeswehr brigade in Vilnius, which Germany is stationing in the Baltic partner country on NATO's eastern flank until a permanent brigade is positioned 2027.
"I am very, very pleased about what you are doing here. It is exemplary, it is unprecedented in the history of the republic and the Bundeswehr," Pistorius said on Wednesday at the meeting with the troops led by Colonel André Hastenrath.
"Many, many thanks, colonel, to you and your men and women, because this really is a special step that we are taking here."
In response to the changing security situation in Europe, the German government has pledged to permanently station a combat-ready and independently capable combat unit in Lithuania.
The brigade should be operational by 2027. A permanent presence of around 4,800 soldiers and around 200 civilian members of the Bundeswehr, who can bring their families with them, is planned.
The pre-deployment team of around 20 soldiers arrived in Lithuania on April 8. It consists of specialists from various fields and is set to grow to a deployment team of around 150 men and women by the fourth quarter of 2024.
"We are on the right track," Pistorius said in a short speech to the troops.
After the meeting with the command, Pistorius made his way to the Lithuanian military base in Pabradė. German soldiers are taking part in the NATO defence exercise Steadfast Defender there - the largest NATO manoeuvre since the end of the Cold War around 35 years ago.