Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland announced on March 18 their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention that banned anti-personnel mines. The four countries’ defence ministers said in a joint statement that they “unanimously” recommended withdrawing from the convention. “With this decision, we are sending a clear message: our countries are prepared and can use…
At least four defence industry companies from Germany and Ukraine want to cooperate with Lithuania, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has announced. According to him, efforts are also underway to establish contacts with US, Swedish, and UK arms manufacturers. “There’s been significant headway. I have four proposals on the table, from both Germany and Ukraine. We’re…
Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene says she will have “very positive news” soon on withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines. “I have no doubt we will have very positive news very soon, not in a month and not even in a week,” the minister told BNS by phone from Poland on March 12…
The US Department of State has resumed its military aid programmes for the Baltic States after a review. The new US administration had frozen all foreign aid while conducting an “assessment”. “The US Department of State has reinstated the military fund program, through which Lithuania buys military equipment and gear, as well as the international…
In January, Ukraine allocated UAH 131 billion from the state budget for the security and defense sector, the Finance Ministry announced on Telegram. “UAH 131 billion is the expenditures of the state budget’s general fund for the security and defense sector in January. This is 61.2% of the total amount of expenditures of the state…
The Government has decided to allocate another UAH 7.9 billion for the purchase of drones. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at a meeting of the Cabinet on February 21. According to him, these funds will be redirected to the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection, which will make the necessary…
Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform) said on February 19 that Estonia’s defense spending would be over 4% of GDP next year but could not give an exact figure. “I can confirm that next year’s sum will be well over 4%. But how much exactly depends on the economic forecast. We are in the final…