Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Lithuania on Wednesday morning. His visit was not announced in advance due to security concerns.
His plane landed at Vilnius Airport at around 10:30, and he was met by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.
In Vilnius, Zelensky met with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. After the meeting, the two presidents held a joint press conference.
“We have proved that Russia can be stopped, that deterrence is possible. Now, we have to wrest peace from Russia’s hands, the kind of peace we want – a just one – and get security for our nations. The security we need,” Zelensky told the press conference.
The Ukrainian leader noted that he came to Lithuania for his first visit abroad this year.
“This is not just a visit of gratitude; it is a visit of shared trust between the nations that live in the neighbourhood of Russia,” he said, adding that neither Ukraine nor Lithuania will allow Russia to destroy their statehood.
For his part, Nausėda said that Lithuania has supported and will continue to support Ukraine through all means – military, political, and economic.
“At the State Defence Council, we have approved a 200-million-euro package of long-term military assistance to Ukraine,” he said.
“We will send ammunition, generators, and detonation systems to Ukraine in January and M577 armoured personnel carriers in February. We will also train Ukrainian soldiers,” the president added.
The two presidents signed a memorandum of cooperation in Vilnius on Wednesday.
Later, addressing the big crowd that gathered on Daukanto Square opposite the Presidential Palace, Zelensky focused on Russia’s threat to other countries beyond Ukraine.
“Now, when Moscow is trying to regain its erstwhile empire with the full range of modern weapons, our Ukrainian courage is also assistance to you. Our unity with you is also a guarantee of your security. The resilience of our troops is also your resilience,” said Zelensky on Wednesday afternoon.
“Our Ukrainian sense tells us that Russia will not survive if we continue to fight against it,” he said.
According to the Ukrainian president, Russia wants “to erase everything on which our culture is based” but will not succeed.
“There will be no day after Ukraine. There will be a day after the war, there will be a day after Putin. It will be the day of our security, of guaranteed security, of your unshakable freedom, of the peaceful life of Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, of all the countries whose fate Russia is now trying to drown in doubt,” he said.
The purpose of Zelensky’s visit was to thank Lithuania for its diplomatic, moral, financial, and military assistance to Ukraine, which is resisting the Russian invasion.
“We are very thankful for Lithuanian support, your team and your great society, we are thankful for your very warm attitude to our people, we are thankful for all your support and military assistance,” Zelensky said, opening his meeting with Nausėda at the Presidential Palace.
He also met with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonyte, the Seimas speaker, and representatives of the political groups.
Zelensky will further travel to Latvia and Estonia. He expects to discuss with the Baltic leaders international support for Kyiv and Ukraine’s further integration into the European Union and NATO.
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are our reliable friends and principled partners.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 10, 2024
Today, I arrived in Vilnius before going to Tallinn and Riga.
I will hold talks with the President, Prime Minister, Speaker of the Seimas, as well as meet with politicians, the media, and the…
The Ukrainian president’s first visit to Lithuania since the Russian invasion of Ukraine took place in July 2023, when he attended the NATO summit in Vilnius.
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