Lithuania president, defence minister discuss cooperation with Ukraine

VILNIUS - Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda met Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas on Thursday to discuss expanding defence industry cooperation between Lithuania and Ukraine.

The President's Office reported that Nauseda emphasised the need to capitalise on the framework established by a bilateral agreement signed in February. The deal focuses on the joint production of military equipment in Lithuania to meet the requirements of both nations.

Lithuania and Ukraine have agreed at the highest level that industrial cooperation will primarily be funded through Lithuanian national resources and the SAFE initiative.

Under the agreement, Lithuania committed to creating favourable conditions for Ukrainian defence and security firms to establish operations in the country, including joint ventures, partnerships and co-production agreements.

The majority of defence systems and capabilities produced in Lithuania will be designated for Ukrainian forces and the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

"It is vital for Lithuania to strengthen its partnership with Ukraine. We have much to learn from their experience in the fifth year of fighting Russian aggression, particularly in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and anti-drone defence," Nauseda said.

The President noted that recent incidents involving military drones crashing off-course in the Baltic states and Finland highlight the urgent need for investment in systems to counter aerial threats.

Last week, three drones were reported flying or exploding across the Baltic region. Officials suspect these were Ukrainian drones that veered off course while targeting sites in Russia.

These incidents have intensified debates over air defence. Defence Minister Kaunas said that drone-detecting radars are scheduled to reach Lithuania between 2026 and 2028. While some units have arrived, installation is ongoing. Lithuania expects to have a fully integrated drone detection ecosystem by 2030.