A. Anušauskas will attend events on the President of the Republic of Lithuania official programme. He will also have a separate programme to meet with Minister of Defence of Ukraine Andrii Taran and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Colonel General Ruslan Khomchak. The meetings are expected to focus on the security situation in Ukraine and the Baltic Sea region, and bilateral defence cooperation of Lithuania and Ukraine.
Minister will meet with Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Razumkov, visit injured soldiers at a military hospital and meet with war veterans in the delegation of President of the Republic of Lithuania.
According to the visit programme, Minister A. Anušauskas is also planned to meet with Lithuanian military personnel deployed to Ukraine, the Lithuanian Armed Forces have been taking part in a National Military Training Operation in Ukraine helping to train Ukrainian soldiers since 2015.
Lithuania supports Ukraine’s aspiration to become a member of NATO and actively develops bilateral cooperation in defence area. Lithuania supports Ukraine’s reforms in military career education alone and together with NATO allies, assists Ukraine with adoption of NATO standards and procedures into the Armed Forces that seeks to increase interaction with armed forces of NATO allies.
Defence cooperation between Lithuania and Ukraine intensified after the Russian military aggression in 2014. Lithuania was rendering material and technical assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, offered medical rehabilitation to injured Ukrainian troops in Lithuania. Relations with Ukraine remains an important priority in Lithuania’s foreign and security policy. By developing the cooperation with the Eastern Partners Lithuania strengthens security in the region.
