Lithuania approved a three-year plan for military support to Ukraine
25 July, 2023 Panzermorser self-propelled mortars for Ukraine from Lithuania. November 2022. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Lithuania
Lithuania has approved a long-term plan of military assistance to Ukraine. The Ministry of Defense of Lithuania reported on this. The State Defence Council of Lithuania approved a three-year plan of military assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine on July 24.
Between 2024 and 2026, military support will amount to about EUR200 million. Major areas of assistance covered by the Plan are the acquisition of lethal and non-lethal aid, military training and courses, financial contributions to assistance funds, repair of military equipment in Lithuania, and personnel training.
Training of Ukrainian military instructors in Lithuania, 2023. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Lithuania
According to Arvydas Anusauskas, Minister of Defense of Lithuania, assistance to the Ukrainian military was and remains one of the priority directions.
The plan is expected to be funded by the European Peace Fund. "This will allow to keep the pace of national capability development and further use the finance in assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine," says Arvydas Anusauskas, Minister of National Defence. The Ministry of Defense of Lithuania noted that the defense aid provided to Ukraine will soon reach half a billion euros.
The assistance includes the supply of weapons and equipment, as well as training, treatment, and rehabilitation of servicemen.
A PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer in the city of Rukla, Lithuania, December 2022.
At the end of June, during his visit to Ukraine, the Minister of National Defense of Lithuania revealed a long-term plan to support the Ukrainian army.
Arvydas Anusauskas, Minister of National Defense of Lithuania.
Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Lithuania
He noted that Lithuania has set three main goals, as follows:
- continue to make every effort to ensure the continuous provision of military support to the Ukrainian army;
- ensure the rehabilitation of wounded Ukrainian servicemen;
- continue consultations on defense reforms, which were started even before the full-scale war, to bring Ukraine closer to NATO membership.
Training of the Ukrainian military on L70 anti-aircraft guns in Lithuania, 2023.
Photo credits: Lithuanian Armed Forces/Tomo Kavaliausko
The Minister also visited Chernihiv, Irpin, and Bucha, and inspected the facilities built with Lithuanian funds.