Vilnius and Warsaw will consider joint arms procurements, Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas said during a joint press conference with his visiting Polish counterpart Mariusz Błaszczak in Vilnius.
“The synchronisation [of acquisitions] is not a simple thing. We are trying to synchronise the purchase of multiple rocket launchers with the Baltic countries. Of course, the minister and I talked about the areas where we can develop our joint effort, including coastal defence, and I think we will consider it,” Anušauskas told reporters on Friday.
Meanwhile, Błaszczak said he had “somewhat jokingly” suggested that Lithuania should buy Polish air defence systems Piorun.
“It turns out this weapon is very effective, and the Ukrainians are using it and it is designed for air defence,” the Polish minister said, adding that Warsaw is open to the idea of joint procurement.
“We can coordinate the purchase of other types of weapons. We are close neighbours, so let’s take advantage of the fact that our armed forces use the same or similar weapons,” Błaszczak said.
‘Long-term threat’
Both Lithuania and Poland see the need to bolster their military capabilities and to hold Russia accountable for the war in Ukraine, Anušauskas said.
The two ministers say they agreed on closer cooperation in the area of cyber security, as well as on transforming NATO’s multinational forces into brigades.
“Both Poland and Lithuania view Russia as a long-term threat to the West,” the Lithuanian minister said.
Anušauskas and Błaszczak signed an agreement to continue active defence cooperation.
“The free world must do everything to stop Russia,” the Polish minister said, insisting that military acquisitions were not an expense, but a security investment.
Błaszczak also called for tightening sanctions on Russia.
“These sanctions must be very serious not to allow the Kremlin to rebuild its military potential,” he said.
Suwalki Gap
The Polish minister also expressed support for Finland’s aspiration to join NATO, saying it would boost the security of the Baltic states and Poland, limit Russia’s aggressive action and the likelihood of invasion.
“Poland stands ready to ratify the Finnish-NATO treaty without delay,” Błaszczak said.
Once Finland joins NATO, cooperation between Warsaw and Vilnius on the defence of the so-called Suwalki Gap – a 70-kilometre corridor wedged between Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad – should not change, Anušauskas said.
“Looking at the overall picture in the region, the eastern flank [of NATO] is getting stronger in terms of security,” he said.
The Lithuanian minister hopes Finland’s membership would be taken into account during the preparation of new defence plans for NATO’s eastern flank.
On Thursday, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sana Marin released a joint statement, saying the country should apply for NATO membership “without delay”.
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