Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has proposed a national programme to strengthen German language learning in Lithuania, saying closer linguistic ties with its key European partner would also serve the country’s strategic interests.
Nausėda said German should be promoted more strongly, with the aim of making it the second most popular foreign language in Lithuania after English, according to a statement from the presidential office following a meeting on Monday with representatives of state institutions, education bodies and the Lithuanian diaspora in Germany. The statement did not provide details on specific measures.
Nausėda also highlighted close cooperation between Lithuania and Germany in security, defence, economic, cultural and academic fields, saying Lithuania should use the current moment to become Berlin’s closest ally in north-eastern and central Europe.
He referred to Germany’s decision to deploy a brigade in Lithuania as part of efforts to reinforce NATO's eastern flank following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, calling it "a unique gift of our time."
The German military brigade was formally commissioned in 2025 and is expected to grow to around 4,800 troops and 200 civilian staff by 2027.
Separately, Lithuania plans to hold a cultural year in Germany in 2027 to raise its profile. A study conducted in late 2025 found that German knowledge about Lithuania, which borders Russia's Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus, is limited.
