Washington, D.C. – April 14, 2025 – U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held a phone call with Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Dovilė Šakalienė on April 11 to express deep gratitude for Lithuania’s critical role in the successful recovery operation of four missing U.S. soldiers.
The soldiers were reported missing on March 25 in the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania. Over the course of seven intense days and nights, a joint force of more than 400 Lithuanian, U.S., and allied personnel, along with 60 civilian experts and volunteers, carried out a complex search mission through difficult terrain. The missing soldiers were recovered on March 31 and April 1.
Secretary Hegseth praised the dedication and solidarity shown by the Lithuanian people, highlighting a remarkable crowd-funded campaign led by a local Vilnius television station that raised over €200,000 in support of the families affected.
Minister Šakalienė, in turn, thanked Secretary Hegseth for the continued U.S. military presence in Lithuania, reaffirming that the United States remains Lithuania’s strongest ally.
The two defense leaders plan to continue their dialogue ahead of the upcoming NATO defense ministerial meeting scheduled for June.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE