Lithuania will provide 10 million euros to Ukraine for the acquisition of long-range weapons from its own manufacturers.
“First of all, we call on our allies to remove long-range strike restrictions,” Lithuanian Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas told BNS on Friday after the Ramstein meeting.
“We also call for more such weapons. If a country cannot or doesn’t want to do so, it can choose a third option – to invest in Ukraine’s defence industry,” he added.
According to the minister, it is the third option that Lithuania is choosing.
“We are thinking about investing 10 million euros in long-range strike capabilities,” Kasčiūnas said.
According to the defence minister, the countries that opt for this option can either purchase such weapons themselves from Ukrainian manufacturers and transfer them to Kyiv or contribute to Ukraine’s acquisitions.
Among other things, Kasčiūnas urged allies to form a coalition for funding Ukraine’s defence industry in this way.
Ukraine, which is fighting against Russian aggression, has repeatedly called on its allies to lift the restrictions on striking Russian territory, but this is opposed by Berlin and Washington, which fear a confrontation with Moscow.
According to the defence ministry, by the end of September, Lithuania will hand over to Ukraine M113 armoured personnel carriers, short-range air defence systems with missiles, anti-drone systems, all-terrain vehicles with spare parts, logistics equipment, weapons, and computers.
In response to Kyiv’s requests, Vilnius has delivered 155 mm ammunition, M577 and M113 armoured personnel carriers, drone jamming equipment, Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle ammunition, RISE-1 long-range smart initiation system, disassembled L-39ZA Albatross aircraft, and other aid to Ukraine so far this year.
Lithuania has provided more than 647 million euros worth of military aid to Ukraine since the start of the war. Its total assistance to Kyiv has surpassed one billion euros, according to the defence ministry.
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