Lithuania calls for concrete defence industry cooperation with Ukraine

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has urged a shift from declarative support to practical cooperation with Ukraine in defence manufacturing, following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Cyprus, LRT reports.

Speaking after an informal European Council meeting, Nausėda emphasised the need for real action rather than statements to strengthen defence industry ties. “It was particularly important for me to discuss how we can move beyond declarations and actually stimulate cooperation in defence through concrete work,” he said.

He highlighted Ukraine’s battlefield-tested experience as a key asset, noting that Kyiv is eager to scale up production for both its own needs and those of its partners. “We talked about what exactly needs to be done to finally establish these mechanisms,” Nausėda added.

The president expressed hope that Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence and armed forces would facilitate direct contacts between experts to accelerate progress. “Then, step by step, we can expect results,” he said.

Nausėda also welcomed the EU’s approval of a €90 billion loan package for Ukraine, calling it a “real opportunity” to open accession negotiations. He noted that Hungary’s recent political shifts had removed obstacles for both Ukraine and Moldova’s EU ambitions.

The meeting in Cyprus focused on Ukraine’s European integration, security situation, and bilateral cooperation.