Henning Otte, the Military Ombudsman of the Bundestag, is demanding quick clarification from Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) regarding the potential requirement for Bundeswehr soldiers to serve in the Lithuanian brigade. Otte told the German Press Network that early certainty is needed about who will be deployed in Lithuania in the future. He stressed that if the government expects soldiers to undertake this special operational commitment, there must simultaneously be reliable framework conditions, including high levels of planning, care, and appropriate compensation for mandatory service.
Otte further noted that stationing the brigade in Lithuania represents an enormous strain on the Bundeswehr, as it binds personnel and resources and impacts the military structure within Germany.
This comes as Pistorius, during a recent trip to Lithuania, confirmed that the German armored brigade there will be fully operational with 4,800 soldiers by the end of 2027. During his visit to the unit’s first exercise near the Belarus border in Pabrade, the Minister also emphasized that he would mandate service in those locations if enough volunteers fail to sign up in specific areas.
