Representatives of Lithuania and Turkey signed an agreement in Ankara on June 1, paving the way for Vilnius to acquire Bayraktar combat drones.
The country will buy the unmanned aerial vehicle and other equipment with money raised by ordinary Lithuanians and then hand it over to Ukraine, which is fighting a Russian invasion.
The fundraising campaign was launched by the journalist Andrius Tapinas and his media channel Laisves TV. It raised over 5 million euros in under four days.
The Lithuanian government has also said it is considering to buy Bayraktar drones for itself.
A letter of intent on the purchase of Turkey-made weapons was signed by Deputy Minister of Defence Vilius Semeska and the head of the Turkish Defence Industry Agency.
“We have signed an agreement. This means the green light for further acquisitions at the political level,” Semeska said.
He will meet with the head of Baykar, the manufacturer of Bayraktar drones, on June 2. (LRT/Business World Magazine)
