Lithuania agrees to buy German Leopard tanks

Lithuania’s State Defence Council on January 23 agreed to buy German Leopard 2 tanks for the country’s planned new army division, Kęstutis Budrys, a presidential advisor, said after the meeting.

“The most effective tank platform that meets the full range of criteria set by Lithuania is the German Leopard 2 tank,” he said, LRT reports.

According to Budrys, the Defence Ministry has been tasked to start talks with German manufacturers and other countries interested in acquiring this equipment. He noted that the final cost and number of tanks to be procured by Lithuania will become clear after further negotiations.

He said that the council also agreed that in addition to the division, a division-level artillery regiment would be established, while air defence and engineering battalions would be raised to regiments.

“In the naval forces, a harbour and coastal defence service is being set up. There is also the addition of a Cyber Defence Board and other changes,” Budrys added.

It was also agreed to increase the maximum number of conscripts per year by 2,000. Currently, around 3,800 conscripts are called up every year.

“The State Defence Council endorsed the move towards universal conscription,” the presidential adviser said.

Lithuania is not facing a military threat in the near future, but all scenarios have to be considered, Budrys also said after the State Defence Council on January 23.

“It can be stated that there are no major changes in the assessment of the near-term military threats to Lithuania, but, of course, Russia remains a direct military threat to the entire [NATO] alliance,” he said.

According to him, the council agreed that Lithuania must plan and consider various actions in different security scenarios.

“Lithuania’s security situation currently depends not only on the dynamics of the war in Ukraine but also on developments in other regions. This will hold true in the future as well,” Budrys said.