| Welcome to the weekend issue of Brussels Edition, Bloomberg’s daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union. Join us on Saturdays for deeper dives from our bureaus across Europe. VILNIUS — An investigation is under way in Lithuania to find out how an American armored vehicle veered off course in a remote forest last month and sank into a bog near the border to Belarus, killing four US soldiers. But the search-and-recovery operation exhibited a level of NATO unity in marked contrast with fears in Europe that President Donald Trump aims to dismantle transatlantic cooperation and undermine the alliance’s support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.  The rescue operation for missing US soldiers at Pabrade training ground, in Lithuania, on March 28. Photographer: Petras Malukas/AFP The American personnel, members of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, were part of a military presence in the Baltic nation to fend off any potential Russian aggression on NATO’s eastern flank. The search involved helicopters and drones, culminating in an intense six-day effort to haul the 63-ton M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicle out of four meters (13 feet) of mud. That all required teams of military personnel from the US, Lithuania, Poland and Estonia. The US ambassador to Lithuania, Kara McDonald, made clear her gratitude for the dedication demonstrated by local authorities, repeatedly referring to the Baltic nation of 2.9 million as a “model ally.” The recovery made for grueling work. Lithuanian divers attempting to reach the vehicle said the diesel content in the mud damaged their gear, while US counterparts trying to winch it with hooks described a harrowing experience of being encased in mud. Polish engineers were deployed to help partially drain the sediment and buttress roads to make way for heavy machinery. After three bodies were found, Estonian army dogs were brought in to find the fourth missing soldier.  Officials and guests pay their respects as they attend a ceremony to bid farewell to the US soldiers. Photographer: Petras Malukas/AFP The search has been accompanied by an outpouring of grief in Lithuania, long one of Europe’s most pro-American nations. A Catholic mass was held in English at Vilnius Cathedral, attended by top US generals. More than a thousand Lithuanians paid tribute at the US embassy with candles and flowers. A donation drive for families of the fallen soldiers raised more than $240,000. Lost on nobody was the whiplash between the tragic events and the low point reached between Washington and its European allies. For Lithuania, where US troops are helping garrison a marshy borderland that’s been a natural defense for the country for centuries, relations with the US are of paramount importance. “We can unite in a crisis and we can be very strong,” Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said after the farewell to the fallen soldiers ceremony in central Vilnius. — Milda Seputyte, Lithuania reporter | 
