On June 26th, 2023 Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced a plan to place 4,000 German soldiers in Lithuania. They will be stationed permanently after a year of deliberations between Germany and Lithuania. The move comes as the war in Ukraine continues as well as before a key NATO summit that will take place in July.

Pistorius announced the plan during his visit to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius. He added that more infrastructure would be necessary for the additional troops as well as assistance from SACEUR.

According to Politico, SACEUR is NATO’s supreme commander in Europe, and they “must retain the ability to make a call on moving troops around.” Doing so provides guidance during military exercises as well as during an event of a mobilization call.

Germany was hesitant about sending soldiers. However, In explaining the change in stance, Pistorius said that much of it has to do with (West) Germany’s past history as being a border country to the then Iron Curtain. Deutsche Welle adds his remarks, stating that it is the country’s “responsibility and…obligation, as a NATO member state and as the largest economy in Europe, to stand up for the protection of the eastern flank.”

The stationing of soldiers comes at a time when the war in Ukraine continues to dominate the NATO agenda. It also happens after the brief Russian Wagner group-led mutiny, though German official sources add that the events are not related.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda added that “The establishment of the Wagner group in Belarus may become an additional factor” in consideration for the region’s broader security. Troop deployment is one of many steps taken to increase the security of the region, but for NATO, it cannot the the only deterrent to Russian or Russian ally attacks.

Other countries in central and eastern Europe have raised concerns about the presence of Russian state and non-state actors in their respective locations. In other words, soldier deployment is one way to enhance the eastern bloc’s security, but potential threats can also come from within the bloc. This may include, but is not limited to, transnational actors with a presence in NATO countries, political parties that are skeptical towards NATO, or individual figures with leadership positions that have the potential to sway discourse in favor or contrary to NATO.

These entities may or may not have connections to Russian interests, which is why one cannot assume a threat to NATO will always be from a source outside its borders. There is no right or wrong approach, but a multi-dimensional approach that can be quickly (re)implemented depending on the needs of the bloc will be better suited for the shifting security landscape.

The bloc has the resources for a multi-dimensional approach given the digital-oriented tasks of its NCI agency and past reviews on “Emerging and disruptive technologies” and proposed artificial intelligence strategies. What comes next is the balance of on-ground and digital security, which will constantly shift depending on the nature of the war in Ukraine. Taking a solidified yet flexible approach that considers on-the-ground soldiers as well as the digital front will be essential.