On April 7 Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas took part in a Defence Ministers’ distance meeting in QUINT format, i.e. of main supporters of Ukraine – U.S., UK, Canada, Poland, Lithuania.
The Ministers discussed the security situation in the Russian-annexed Crimea, the Black Sea, and on the eastern border of Ukraine where Russia had undertaken unusual military activity: a significant personnel and military equipment build-up. At the virtual meeting the Ministers of Defence accentuated concerns about such Russia’s activities and invited it to stop escalating tensions. The Ministers also reiterated support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
“We stand by the territorial integrity of Ukraine and inviolability of its borders. We voice concerns about the provocative Russia’s actions: massing of forces on the border of Ukraine and in the annexed Crimea. With such aggressive actions, Russia is escalating conflict and raises tensions in the region. We call on Russia to decrease the tension and to make sure that the separatists it backs uphold the ceasefire agreements in eastern Ukraine,” said Minister A. Anušauskas.
The Ministers reiterated their commitment to a continued training and assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its reform and capacity building efforts.
Lithuania has been rendering different types of assistance to Ukraine, including military, since the beginning of the Russian military aggression in 2014.
On its own and with allies, Lithuania provides assistance to the military education reform of Ukraine, helps with integration of NATO standards and procedures into the Armed Forces of Ukraine as it seeks to increase interoperability with NATO militaries.
Lithuanian service members are deployed to the National Military Training Mission in Ukraine mandated by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania as of 2015.
