Lithuania buys air defence launchers for Ukraine
by AFP Staff Writers
Vilnius (AFP) June 28, 2023

Lithuania has bought two Norwegian-made NASAMS air defence launchers for Ukraine and will deliver them within three months, the government said Wednesday.

The announcement came as President Gitanas Nauseda arrived in Kyiv for talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.

"The NASAMS launchers will reach Ukraine in the near future," Nauseda said on Facebook.

"Even in such circumstances, when the stockpiles are empty, we find opportunities to help our friends," he added, in a separate video.

Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said the deal with Norwegian firm Kongsberg was worth 9.8 million euros ($10.7 million).

Zelensky tweeted on Wednesday that he was "grateful" to Nauseda for the purchase.

"This is an important and timely contribution to protecting Ukraine's sky and saving lives of Ukrainians. Together to victory!" he added.

Lithuania's defence ministry said Norway will provide Ukraine with support equipment for the NASAMS launchers.

Lithuania will also send 10 M113 armoured transport vehicles to Ukraine.

Along with munitions, which are set to be delivered later this year, Lithuanian military aid will reach more than 500 million euros, the defence ministry said.

The Lithuanian leader and Zelensky will discuss next month's NATO summit in Vilnius, as well as Ukraine's EU membership talks, Nauseda's office said.

Lithuania and fellow Baltic states Estonia and Latvia have expressed staunch solidarity with Ukraine since Russia invaded it last year.

The trio spent decades under Soviet occupation before declaring independence in 1991 and later joining NATO and the European Union.

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