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On 8 March in Vilnius, the head of Lithuania’s diplomacy, Gabrielius Landsbergis, met with the Foreign Ministers of Estonia, France, Latvia, and Ukraine to discuss support for Ukraine and European security. According to Landsbergis, the transatlantic military support for Ukraine should reach the previous year’s level again and be significantly strengthened.

“The Ukrainians are fighting hard, but Western military support is insufficient and overdue. We need to help Ukraine much more and much more quickly. That is the purpose of our meeting today. We welcome the French leadership and are determined to contribute. We cannot reject any form of support to open the way for Ukraine’s victory. We must draw red lines for Russia, not ourselves,” said Landsbergis.

The Foreign Minister thanked the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Stéphan Séjourné, for his initiative to convene urgently in Vilnius. According to Landsbergis, Russia continues its aggression against Ukraine without stopping for a moment, and for the Ukrainian offensive, it is mobilizing more and more troops and military equipment. Millions of shells are supplied to it by other countries belonging to the “axis of evil” formed by Russia.

“If we support Ukraine, it must be reflected not by words but by deeds. If we give it armaments, we must give what is needed for victory. If we agree that Russia’s actions are destroying the foundations of international law, we must take action to protect them,” noted Landsbergis.

The Foreign Minister stressed that Lithuania contributed to the Czech Republic’s initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine in third countries.

“I hope that this will bring tangible results, but it cannot be a one-off effort – our support must be sustainable,” said the head of Lithuania’s diplomacy.

The ministerial meeting also discussed initiatives to strengthen NATO’s defence and deterrence and to ensure air defence in the region.