Germany plans mandatory postings for Lithuania brigade after volunteer shortfall

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will assign soldiers to a new brigade in Lithuania after too few troops volunteered, Bild reported on Monday.

The first mandatory postings are due to start this autumn and could affect as many as 1,000 troops, the newspaper said. The Defense Ministry planned to brief senior members of the parliamentary defense committee later Monday.

Germany began permanently deploying a brigade to Lithuania last year as part of its plan to strengthen its NATO role and take greater responsibility for European defense. The unit, which will include about 4,800 soldiers, is being built up in stages and is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2027.

Pistorius, a Social Democrat, had long hoped to staff the entire brigade with volunteers. In June, however, he acknowledged that some assignments would likely be needed and put the figure at “under 1,000.” According to Defense Ministry sources, the shortages are sharpest among IT specialists, logistics personnel, cooks and enlisted soldiers.