The future deployment of United States troops to Lithuania is under review, the country’s Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said on Tuesday, confirming uncertainty over the arrival of the next American military rotation as Washington reassesses its force posture across Europe.

Speaking in Vilnius, Kaunas said the current US contingent stationed in Lithuania is departing according to schedule, but a replacement force has yet to be confirmed. He said the next rotation is “currently under consideration” as the United States evaluates troop numbers and strategic requirements across the continent.

“The next rotation is currently under consideration as the number of US troops in Europe is changing,” Kaunas said. “This naturally leads to a reassessment of the strategic position in the region.”

The development means Lithuania could, for the first time since 2020, be left without a permanently rotating US armoured battalion on its territory. The outgoing deployment consists of around 1,000 soldiers from the Texas based 1st Cavalry Division, equipped with Abrams tanks, Bradley armoured vehicles and Paladin self-propelled artillery systems.

Kaunas said he discussed the issue with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during the Shangri La Dialogue security conference in Singapore last week. According to the minister, Washington has provided assurances that another rotation will eventually take place, though details remain unclear.

“We have the assurance that the next rotation in Lithuania will take place, but exactly when, with what capabilities and in what size, this is to be announced,” he said.

The uncertainty comes amid adjustments to American military deployments in Europe, including the withdrawal of thousands of troops from Germany and Poland. The moves have prompted renewed attention across NATO’s eastern flank, particularly among countries bordering Russia and Belarus.

Kaunas sought to emphasise continued American commitment to regional security, saying US officials had reiterated that “the Baltic region is vital to NATO and the US”. He added that Lithuania’s defence investments were viewed in Washington as “an example for other allies to follow”.

Lithuania has significantly increased military spending since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and is expected to allocate 5.4 per cent of gross domestic product to defence this year. The country recently completed permanent facilities at the Pabrade military base near the Belarusian border, where the departing American forces became the first troops to be stationed.