Germany has deployed a permanent military brigade beyond its borders for the first time since the end of World War II, with troops dispatched to the capital of Lithuania. The event was inaugurated by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said during a military ceremony in Vilnius that “the security of our Baltic allies is also our security.”
The decision is part of a series of actions in recent months by European nations to “bolster defenses” on NATO’s eastern flank amid claims that Russia intends to invade greater Europe if they defeat Ukraine. The “domino theory” remains unfounded and the Kremlin has never threatened to attack any country outside of Ukraine. The move to shift troops to Lithuania places them near the border of Belarus (a Russian ally) and within striking distance of Ukraine or the Russian border.
European governments have been threatening an escalation by eventually moving NATO troops into Ukraine in direct confrontation with Russian forces. Vladimir Putin has previously warned that NATO troops in Ukraine represent a red line which could result in nuclear conflict.
Putin asserted that if Ukraine’s Western backers deepened their involvement in the war, such as sending troops, the consequences for the “invaders” would be “tragic”.
“They must realize that we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory,” Putin said, in apparent reference to increasingly lethal Western weapons provided to Kyiv. “What they are now suggesting and scaring the world with — all that raises the real threat of a nuclear conflict that will mean the destruction of our civilization.”
The remarks came after multiple European leaders including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron called for the potential deployment of NATO forces to the region. Lithuania is a member of NATO and their foreign minister suggested at the beginning of this year that the country would be interested in moving its own troops into Ukraine should Kyiv make such a request.
European rhetoric on the war, calls for forced military conscription and the calls for boots on the ground have all coincided with the steady realization among NATO leaders (and the establishment media) that Ukraine is losing the war. With dwindling troop strength and faltering defensive lines, the Russian attrition strategy is beginning to bear fruit. Recent breakouts and big gains on the eastern front are developing alongside a mass buildup of troops near Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city.
Rather than focusing on quick territorial conquest, attrition warfare seeks to grind down enemy numbers over time while keeping movements limited. The strategy is slow at first, and then the opponent collapses all at once. Ukraine now seems to be entering this stage of attrition.
This might explain why Germany is moving its troops permanently abroad for the first time in 80 years.
Aerial strikes involving missiles and drones have increased on both sides, with Russia launching their largest missile/drone attack since the beginning of the war this week. The escalation brings into question the chances of a peace agreement, as neither side appears interested at this point in negotiating. President Donald Trump’s frustration with the conflict has been further exacerbated by European governments like Germany who are intent on keeping the war going at any cost.
Even though it is clear that a Russian victory is imminent, the Europeans have declared that this simply cannot be, which means that further deployments near Ukraine and Russia are likely and that another world war is on the table.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 05/27/2025 – 02:45
