The strategic agreement on development of the Ukrainian defence industry in Lithuania made by President of Ukraine HE Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of Lithuania HE Gitanas Nausėda at their meeting in Kyiv is in progress. Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė, Senior Advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Strategic Affairs Oleksandr Kamyshin and Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine Herman Smetanin made a preliminary agreement on production of strategic weaponry systems through cooperation with UKRAine in Lithuania.
“The defence industry of Ukraine has an incredible potential to become a world-class player as a merit of its high expertise built on direct battlefield experience, motivation and competence of the engineers, and forward-thinking mindset of key decision-makers in the area. Lithuania will continue investing into Ukraine’s defence industry by means of procurements from Ukraine for Ukraine. There is EUR 20 million earmarked for that and the amount will be increased. We aim for yet closer collaboration: development of a joint Lithuanian-Ukrainian weaponry production in both Lithuania and Ukraine,” notified Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė.
“We will be forever grateful to Lithuania for supporting us from day one. While the mutually developed defence industry in Lithuania is yet another strong step reinforcing the eastern flank of NATO,” says Senior Advisor to the President for Strategic Affairs Oleksandr Kamyshin.
Specific types of weaponry systems in questions cannot be disclosed due to security considerations. Meetings between Lithuanian and Ukrainian representatives scheduled to take place in Lithuania shortly will determine the agreement in detail.
