Wednesday Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas discussed bilateral defence cooperation, security situation in the region, and requirement for further international assistance to Ukraine’s defence reform and effort to strengthen the Armed Forces with Minister of Defence of Ukraine Andrii Taran over a working dinner.
“When Russia intransparently and aggressively deployed thousands of troops with equipment escalating tensions at the borders of Ukraine and the annexed Crimea this spring, it became clear that Ukraine’s security, or rather, insecurity, is a threat to the security of the whole Europe. We have to strengthen NATO and EU partners’, and primarily Ukraine’s ability to counter conventional threats and face modern challengers, such as cyberattacks,” Minister A. Anušauskas said.
Minister of Defence of Ukraine is attending the Ukraine Reform Conference 2021 held in Vilnius on July 7–8 in the delegation of President of Ukraine HE Volodymyr Zelensky.
We are delighted to have a security and defence session in the conference programme for the first time. We have discussed Ukraine’s needs and priority areas for reform. We can feel the commitment of the international community, NATO, EU, and its member states, to continue backing the changes in Ukraine. Assistance to defence sector is especially relevant,” Minister A. Anušauskas said to A. Taran.
Thursday Minister A. Taran is planned to visit Rukla: Lithuanian Great Hetman Jonušas Radvila Training Regiment and soldiers of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion. Later he will meet with Vice Minister of Defence Margiris Abukevičius in Vilnius to discuss concrete international defence cooperation projects involving Ukraine’s representatives.
