German soldiers refuse to go

German soldiers are refusing to go to Lithuania to join a new Bundeswehr brigade near the Belarusian border, which is planned to be formed by 2027. Only 209 people have applied for 1,971 vacancies—about 10% of the target. According to representatives of the German defense ministry, the low number of volunteers is causing serious concern, as the planned brigade will be part of efforts to strengthen regional defense capabilities.

Context

The German Ministry of Defense announced plans to deploy a new brigade near the borders with Belarus by 2027 as part of efforts to strengthen the defense capabilities of the allied state.