Support to Ukraine and latest situation on the ground were also on the agenda during the working dinner, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a brief address at the event.
“We need to do more. We have to provide more military aid, more financing and assemble allies more. And we have to orient it not just for Ukraine’s survival over the winter but also for battlefield readiness. There should be no limitations nor restrictions put on the donated equipment. We also need to come up with more resourceful ways for supporting Ukraine’s defence industry: for example, to establish joint ventures, purchase Ukrainian products, donate to Ukraine or to finance jointly,” said Minister of National Defence following the NATO-Ukraine Council.
He also reiterate that Lithuania will continue assisting UKRAine in every way we can. Lithuania stands ready to dedicate up to 0.25% of GDP to support Ukraine throughout the next decade and is looking to to invest in Ukraine’s defence industry soon.
Minister L. Kasčiūnas met with Minister of Defence of Ukraine Rustem Umerov on the margins of the NATO Defence Ministerial. Minister R.Umerov presented to him President V.Zelenskyy’s victory plan. The Ministers also discussed Lithuania’s further assistance, cooperation with Ukraine’s defence industry and updates on the Demining Coalition.
Minister of National Defence also had a quick exchange with Minister of Defence of Sweden Pål Jonson and Minister of Norway Bjørn Arild Gram.
On October 18 Minister L. Kasčiūnas chaired the so-called 3+3 Defence Ministers’ meeting for Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and framework nations of the enhanced Forward Presence in the Baltic states: Germany, United Kingdom, Canada. The countries discussed air defence, and in particular, implementation of the Rotational NATO Air Defence Model, collective NATO response to airspace breeches, bilateral cooperation, and other relevant topics.
