Prime Minister's meeting with Ukraine’s counterpart Denys Shmyhal: Lithuania to establish special military rehabilitation programme in Ukraine, new initiatives for Ukraine’s defence needs
Not only Ukraine, which is fighting for us, but the entire civilized world must become a force that will halt Russia’s aggression once and for all, said Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė on Friday during her meeting with Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, on his official visit to Lithuania.
Having expressed Lithuania’s full and unwavering support to Ukraine, the Head of Government announced Lithuania’s special programme for the rehabilitation and reintegration of the country’s injured servicemen in Ukraine, as well as the planned new allocations for country’s defence needs.
‘I am happy to welcome Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, a good friend of Lithuania and myself. No aggressor in the world will stop cooperation between two freedom-loving and fighting for it nations, their sincere friendship, and mutual assistance,’ said Prime Minister Šimonytė.
As announced by the Prime Minister on Friday, Lithuania will contribute to the development of infrastructure and services for three rehabilitation centres in the Lviv, Dnipro, and Zhytomyr regions of Ukraine. The Lithuanian Development Cooperation Fund and the Ministry of National Defence will provide up to €15 million for this programme, other international donors will also be invited to contribute.
The Prime Minister has noted that Lithuania has not stopped and will not stop calling on all Western allies and democracies of the world to immediately provide all the weapons Ukraine needs to defeat the enemy on the battlefield as soon as possible.
For its part, Lithuania will in the near future purchase around 3,000 Lithuanian-made FPV drones for €2 million, which should reach Ukrainian troops later this year.
There are plans for a long-term support for Ukraine too: currently, the Government is negotiating an agreement with Ukraine on security cooperation, which will define the modalities of Lithuanian support for strengthening Ukraine’s defence capabilities and security for the next decade.
The Prime Minister reiterated Lithuania’s stance confirming that without Ukraine and Moldova, membership in the European Union and NATO is not a completed project for a safe and prosperous Europe.
Having taken one step, the EU must take another - to start negotiations chapter by chapter, added the Prime Minister.
‘Lithuania's support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, as well as Ukraine’s chosen path to full-fledged EU and NATO membership, which Russia cannot stop or slow down, remains firm,’ said the Prime Minister.
The counterparts discussed Ukraine’s progress in Euro-integration and the most pressing issues on this agenda. Ingrida Šimonytė noted the successful and confident movement of the country along this path, even under particularly difficult conditions of war.
Lithuania is ready to strengthen comprehensive, including expert, support for Ukraine in future negotiations on EU membership, to contribute further to the progress of reforms and the strengthening of Ukraine’s administrative capacities.
As emphasized during the meeting by the Prime Minister, the issue of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Russia, including the accountability of Russia and Belarus’s highest political and military leadership for the initial aggression crime, must remain among the priorities of the international community.
Also, sanctions against the aggressor and its accomplice Belarus must be strengthened, and the effectiveness of the existing ones must be improved, as noted in the meeting.
As the Lithuanian Prime Minister said, the EU agreement on the use of windfall profits from immobilised Russian assets for military and reconstruction purposes is an important but insufficient step - it is necessary to go further and find a way to use all frozen and immobilised Russian assets for Ukraine’s needs.
After the meeting at the Government, Lithuanian Prime Minister Šimonytė and Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmyhal will also visit the headquarters of Blue/Yellow, an organisation mobilising support for Ukraine.