Lithuania ready to contribute to repairing Ukraine's NASAMS – Nauseda in Norway

VILNIUS – Lithuania is ready to contribute to repairing the NASAMS medium-range air defense systems handed over to Ukraine, President Gitanas Nauseda said after meeting with Kongsberg, the systems' manufacturer, in Norway on Monday.   

"Lithuania is ready to contribute to helping Ukraine with the repair and maintenance of these systems," he was quoted as saying in a press release. 

Kyiv has asked Vilnius for NASAMS systems, but the Lithuanian State Defense Council decided not to grant this request last year.

As part of his visit to Norway, Nauseda showed interest in the latest air defense technologies and discussed support for Ukraine with Kongsberg's representatives, the president's office said in the press release. 

According to Nauseda, air defense is key to the security of Lithuania and the Baltic region, and "both the strengthening of national air defense and the contribution of NATO allies to the security of our airspace are very important".

The president said that Lithuania speaks out in favor of providing military assistance to Kyiv and invites other countries to support Ukraine in its fight against the aggressor by all means, including air defense systems, tanks and fighter aircraft, according to the press release.

Nauseda underlined that Europe's defense industry "has to work full-scale" in light of Russia's war in Ukraine.

"Allies have to provide military support to Ukraine & fill in own stocks," he tweeted.

Nauseda is also scheduled to meet with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and Masud Gharahkhani, president of the Norwegian parliament, and to have an audience with King Harald V as part of his official visit to Oslo on Monday. 

The meetings will focus on bolstering regional security and defense, preparations for NATO's Vilnius summit, support for Ukraine, and bilateral economic and defense cooperation, Nauseda’s office has said.