Germany to Send 1,000 Soldiers to Lithuania, 200 Under Mandatory Assignment

Germany is preparing to conscript up to 1,000 Bundeswehr soldiers to serve with its permanent brigade in Lithuania after months of recruitment efforts failed to attract enough volunteers.

According to Bild on September 14, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has ordered the first compulsory assignments to begin this fall as Berlin races to fully staff the brigade on NATO’s eastern flank.

Germany plans to permanently station 4,800 soldiers in Lithuania by the end of 2027, but only around 60% of the required positions had been filled by volunteers as of August.

Bild reported that as many as 20% of the brigade could currently be affected by compulsory assignments, though the Bundeswehr hopes to reduce that share to around 10% by recruiting additional volunteers.

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The military is reportedly struggling in particular to find IT specialists, logistics personnel, cooks, and enlisted troops willing to relocate to Lithuania.

Pistorius had previously insisted that the brigade should be staffed voluntarily. In June, however, he acknowledged that compulsory assignments would likely become necessary and estimated that fewer than 1,000 soldiers could ultimately be affected.

The Bundeswehr has launched extensive recruitment campaigns and even offered introductory trips to Lithuania for soldiers and their families in an effort to encourage voluntary transfers.

The brigade is expected to reach full operational strength by the end of 2027, leaving the Defense Ministry with only a limited window to settle personnel assignments. Soldiers ordered to relocate must be formally notified and can challenge the decision through legal procedures.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Germany’s accusations against Moscow over the attempted explosive-drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport marked the beginning of a “real war,” while also accusing Chancellor Friedrich Merz of effectively “declaring war” on Russia.

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