“Until the very last moment, we hoped for a miracle. With deep sadness and sorrow, I received the news of the loss of U.S. soldiers who were found after perishing during a training exercise. Their deaths are a painful blow not only to their American fellow servicemen, but also to the Lithuanian Armed Forces,” the President said.
According to Gitanas Nausėda, this tragedy has affected everyone. “The armed forces of the United States and Lithuania, with the support of our Polish allies, worked tirelessly for countless hours in this complex search and rescue operation. Lithuanian institutions spared no effort, working day and night to locate the missing soldiers as quickly as possible. The people of Lithuania prayed relentlessly for their fate, as we consider American soldiers our own. In this difficult time, we feel even more committed to one another, and this challenging operation has demonstrated our strength in unity,” he stated.
President Nausėda emphasized the invaluable contribution of the United States in ensuring the security of Lithuania and NATO’s entire eastern flank. “The presence of U.S. military forces in our region is not only a guarantor of Lithuania’s security but also of the security of the entire transatlantic community. We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing the best and most suitable conditions for allied troops to train and enhance their capabilities,” said the President, assuring that Lithuania will continue to allocate all necessary resources to uphold the highest possible standards.
The President also expressed his gratitude to everyone involved in the search and rescue operation, and emphasized his hope that ongoing efforts would result in finding the fourth missing soldier as soon as possible.
