Relationship dossier
Germany
Lithuania
Relationship assessment
Germany and Lithuania maintain a close partnership, with defense cooperation and Germany’s military presence in Lithuania at its core.
Germany toward Lithuania
+80Germany has made a substantial security commitment to Lithuania by leading NATO’s multinational battlegroup there since 2017 and planning a permanently stationed German brigade. These actions support Lithuania’s defense and are backed by bilateral arrangements.
Lithuania toward Germany
+80Lithuania has worked with Germany to enable a sustained German military presence, including through a bilateral defense agreement and preparations to host the German brigade. This represents concrete Lithuanian cooperation with German security policy.
Overall relationship
+80The relationship is underpinned by sustained defense cooperation, including Germany’s NATO leadership role in Lithuania and plans for a permanent German brigade. Lithuania’s cooperation in hosting those forces reinforces the partnership. EU and NATO membership provide a broader institutional setting, while the bilateral security commitments are its most concrete feature.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Germany and Lithuania maintain a close partnership centered on European security and defense. Germany has led NATO’s multinational battlegroup in Lithuania since 2017 and is establishing a permanently stationed brigade there. Lithuania has supported the deployment through bilateral defense arrangements and preparations to host German forces. Their cooperation also extends through the European Union and NATO.
Key developments
Germany began leading NATO’s multinational enhanced forward presence battlegroup in Lithuania.
Germany and Lithuania signed an agreement supporting the permanent stationing of a German brigade in Lithuania.
Major uncertainties
- The long-term scale and implementation of the German brigade’s deployment remain subject to continuing plans.
- The full scope of bilateral cooperation beyond defense is not clear.