Lithuania invests €20 million in joint weapons production with Ukraine

Lithuania has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Ukraine's defense sector by initiating joint weapons production facilities and investing €20 million in the development of Ukraine's defense industry.

As reported by the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense, a meeting took place between Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Dovilė Šakalienė, Senior Advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Strategic Issues Oleksandr Kamyshyn, and Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industries Herman Smetanin.

The Lithuanian Defense Ministry emphasized its continued active support for Ukraine, particularly through investments in its defense industry.

Minister Šakalienė highlighted Ukraine's potential to become a key player in the global defense market, citing:

• The high level of experience and motivation of Ukrainian engineers,
• The determination and strategic vision of decision-makers in this sector.

"Lithuania will keep investing in Ukraine's defense sector, buying for Ukraine from Ukraine. €20 million has already been allocated, and this amount will continue to grow. However, we aim for even closer cooperation—developing joint production of Lithuanian and Ukrainian weapons both in Lithuania and in Ukraine," stated Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Dovilė Šakalienė.

For security reasons, the specific types of weapons covered by the agreement have not been disclosed. In the coming weeks, representatives from Lithuania and Ukraine will meet in Lithuania to discuss the agreement's implementation and outline further steps for defense cooperation.

Senior Strategic Advisor to the Ukrainian President, Oleksandr Kamyshin, expressed gratitude for Lithuania's unwavering support:

"We will always be grateful to Lithuania for standing with us from day one. At the same time, developing the defense industry in Lithuania is a powerful step that strengthens NATO's eastern flank."

What is known about investing in the Ukrainian defense industry?

Since October of last year, Europe has been shifting its approach to supporting Ukraine. Recognizing that the EU alone cannot supply all the necessary weapons and ammunition, the bloc has increasingly focused on investing in Ukraine's military industry.

Jan Lesser, head of the Brussels branch of the German Marshall Fund, emphasized that "investing in the Ukrainian arms sector provides greater flexibility and gives Ukraine more opportunities in the short term."

To support the development of Ukraine's defense industry, the EU plans to use profits generated from frozen Russian assets in the West, with additional funding coming from Denmark.

On March 1, Ukraine proposed creating joint ventures with French weapons manufacturers based on specific defense needs. Several proposed projects could be financed using interest from frozen Russian assets.

Meanwhile, Finland has launched a new defense support program for Ukraine, focused on placing orders with its own defense-industrial complex. Additionally, Ukraine has invited Sweden and Finland to adopt a support model similar to Denmark's, which directly finances arms manufacturers to strengthen Ukraine's military production.