On 13-14 September 2024, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis paid his 11th visit to Ukraine in total and his 9th visit to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.
The Head of Lithuanian diplomacy and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Radoslaw Sikorski, who was on a visit to Ukraine, were received by the Head of State. ‘We are grateful to your countries and peoples for their unwavering support. We are grateful that you have stood with us from the very beginning until our common victory,’ Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He thanked the partners for their significant defense support, in particular for the recent decisions on new assistance packages, and discussed other priorities that require further assistance from Lithuania and Poland.
Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration-Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna, Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, and Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov also held meetings with Gabrielius Landsbergis.
During the talks between the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis stressed that the main common priority of the two countries is the victory of Ukraine. In his turn, Andrii Sybiha expressed his deep gratitude to Lithuania for its willingness to allocate a quarter of its national GDP exclusively to Ukraine's defense and security needs, as set out in the bilateral security agreement: ‘It is important that this figure will be included in the Lithuanian budget for 2025 and beyond.’
Emphasizing the need to uphold the promises made to Ukraine, Gabrielius Landsbergis called on Ukraine's friends and allies not to delay in providing all the necessary assistance, including long-range missiles, air defense systems and artillery shells. According to him, restrictions on the use of the weapons transferred to Ukraine should be lifted, as Ukraine's self-defense against the aggressor state of Russia is its fundamental right enshrined in the UN Charter. Andrii Sybiha noted that Ukraine also continues to work with partners to strengthen its air shield, including by taking steps to shoot down Russian missiles and drones in Ukrainian skies: "the priority for the free world should be to protect Ukraine and Ukrainians, not to protect the Russian aggressor from Ukrainian strength and range".
Andrii Sybiha once again called on allies to invest in the production of Ukrainian weapons for Ukrainian defenders and said that Ukraine and Lithuania are already working together to purchase Ukrainian weapons for the needs of the Defence Forces of Ukraine. Lithuania is providing €10 million to support our long-range capabilities, including funding for the ‘Palianytsia’ drone missile.
Lithuania will continue to actively support Ukraine in the international scene, in particular on the issues of strengthening the sanctions policy against Russia and its satellite states, further progress in the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Gabrielius Landsbergis stressed that it is unacceptable for the international community to finance more than 10% of Russia's military budget through the purchase of Russian oil and gas. Andrii Sybiha noted that Russia's total war against Ukraine should mean Russia's total isolation in the world.
Lithuania will continue to provide all possible support to Ukraine on its path to EU and NATO membership, as well as relevant expert assistance. ‘You have already made history - Ukraine is invited to start negotiations, despite what many critics said. I believe that Ukraine is capable of successfully implementing the reforms necessary to join the EU,’ said Mr Landsbergis. ‘We count on Lithuania's further assistance, in particular in consolidating the position of the allies. We need historic steps towards NATO. Ukraine is already de facto an integral part of the Euro-Atlantic security architecture. It's time to enshrine this fact into law,’ the Ukrainian Foreign Minister stressed.
Ukraine cannot be forced to negotiate with Russia, and the terms of peace can only be determined by Ukraine itself - in accordance with the Peace Formula proposed by Ukraine,’ said Gabrielius Landsbergis. The parties will encourage the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America to participate in the implementation of the Peace Formula of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and will continue to work on the preparation of the second Peace Summit.
In Kyiv, Gabrielius Landsbergis spoke at the Yalta European Strategy Forum and took part in a joint flower-laying ceremony with Andrii Sybiha at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine.
He visited the critical infrastructure facility in Vyshhorod, Kyiv region, stressing Lithuania's continued support for the restoration of Ukraine's damaged energy infrastructure, with the involvement of international partners in assistance projects.
The head of Lithuanian diplomacy visited the fortifications in Chernihiv region, where representatives of the operational command ‘Pivden’ spoke about the strengthening of defensive borders and the process of building fortifications. He also visited the site of the tragedy and torture in the village of Yahidne, Chernihiv region, where more than 350 local residents, including children, were held for four weeks in the basement of a local school during the Russian occupation.
‘When asked what we must do to prevent this from ever happening again, my answer is unequivocal: a clear strategy for Ukraine's victory,’ the Lithuanian Foreign Minister said.
The visit of Gabrielius Landsbergis is yet another testament to Lithuania's strongest support and comprehensive, leadership assistance to Ukraine.