Lithuanian President Personally Appealed to Trump to Keep U.S. Troops in Europe

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda stated that he personally appealed to former President Donald Trump to ensure the continued presence of U.S. troops along NATO's eastern flank, as the United States reviews its military footprint in Europe. Nausėda revealed he sent two letters to Trump expressing his plea.

Speaking at a forum on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Nausėda emphasized Lithuania's willingness to offer "very generous host nation support" for American forces. This comes as the Pentagon is reassessing its troop deployments in Europe, a review that includes potentially reducing forces by tens of thousands.

This strategic shift aims to transfer primary responsibility for conventional defense in Europe to allied nations, with the U.S. taking a more limited role. However, the U.S. has also indicated a potential increase in its commitment to Poland, a NATO member with significant defense spending.

Lithuania, situated on NATO's eastern flank, has directly experienced the repercussions of Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Last week, NATO fighters intercepted a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus, which Nausėda believes was likely a Russian aircraft intended for an attack on Ukraine.

Intelligence assessments from Lithuania suggest that Russia is rebuilding its military capabilities near NATO's eastern borders, despite losses in Ukraine. The 2026 National Threat Assessment from Lithuania indicates that a ceasefire or frozen conflict in Ukraine could accelerate this buildup, potentially enabling Russia to redeploy troops and equipment toward the Baltic States and replenish depleted weaponry. Lithuanian intelligence warns that this could eventually equip Russia to initiate military action against the Baltics, aiming for a regional advantage before NATO can fully mobilize a response.

Nausėda expressed skepticism about immediate peace talks, stating that Russia is not currently prepared for negotiations. He suggested that Moscow might leverage the approaching winter to intensify pressure on Kyiv by targeting its energy infrastructure. "The winter is coming. Russia knows very well where they should target, and they will target energy infrastructure first of all," Nausėda said, describing these potential attacks as an effort to degrade living conditions in Ukraine and pressure its leadership into concessions.

Lithuania is also taking steps to enhance its energy security. During the president's visit to New York, Lithuanian energy company Ignitis signed a new long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) agreement with U.S.-based EQT Corp. Lithuania began importing U.S. LNG in 2017 and now sources approximately 70% of its LNG from the United States, a move shaped by years of experiencing Moscow using energy dependence as political leverage.

Nausėda highlighted Lithuania's commitment to defense, noting that the country is allocating 5.4% of its GDP to defense spending. Lithuania is establishing a national division and preparing to host a full German brigade by the end of 2027. He also mentioned that Lithuanian intelligence has periodically alerted to the risk of Russia targeting critical infrastructure, leading to enhanced security measures for energy and other strategic assets.