"The Ukrainian defence planning system needs to undergo a thorough overhaul. The most efficient way to success is employing Western advisors throughout all defence institutions and structures. Sweden also has good practice as a long-standing NATO partner, therefore I believe that strengthened cooperation Lithuania, Sweden and Ukraine will help Ukraine rearrange its Armed Forces correspondingly to the western standards of NATO," Minister J.Olekas said at the meeting.
So far, in the course of the visit Lithuanian and Swedish Ministers of Defence have met with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov to address security situation in Eastern Ukraine and assistance to Ukraine's defence reform.
While in Kiev, Minister J.Olekas also attended commemorative events on Re-establishment of Lithuanian Statehood Day and paid tribute to the victims of Maidan.
Tomorrow, February 19, Defence Minister of Lithuania and Sweden will meet with Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin, and pay a visit to the Central Military Hospital of Ukraine.