Belarusian MFA responds to presence of German tanks near borders

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus responded to the presence of German tanks near the country's borders. This reaction followed a post on X (formerly Twitter) by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz regarding the deployment of a German armored brigade in Lithuania, according to BELTA.

In their official statement, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry recalled the historical context: “The last time German tanks approached Belarusian borders, they brought occupation, scorched earth, and the ashes of millions of victims. Belarus remembers. We are capable of defending our sovereignty. Just as in the past, ordinary people did not want to accept foreign armies—only traitors welcomed them with open arms,” the ministry commented, addressing the German chancellor’s post.

They further emphasized, “The darkest pages of history serve as a warning: do not confuse militarization with security. If Europe seeks lasting peace, it should choose dialogue over military buildup that echoes the past.”

As previously reported by BELTA, the German leadership decided to establish a tank brigade in Lithuania. This will be Germany’s first permanently stationed armored formation abroad since World War II.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius participated in the inaugural formation of the 45th Tank Brigade in Vilnius. According to Bloomberg, currently around 400 German soldiers are stationed in the Baltic country, with plans to increase their number by another 100 by the end of 2025.

Germany is also taking active control over the military contingent of NATO in Lithuania. By February 2026, the multinational NATO forces in the country will be subordinated to the 45th Tank Brigade of Germany, which is expected to grow to approximately 5,000 personnel by the end of 2027.

Baltnews notes that the costs associated with housing the troops are being borne by the Lithuanian budget, which must rapidly expand infrastructure and provide accommodations for all soldiers. Currently, in Vilnius, these expenses are estimated at around $1.1 billion.