I. Šimonytė in Ukraine: I am proud that Lithuania can help
The Prime Minister, who visited the Luhansk region together with the Prime Minister of Ukraine, said that the meetings with the soldiers and their commanders showed great determination and readiness to defend her country, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as to protect Europe and the rules-based world order.
“I am here to see the wounds of war that are not healing. The never-ending and life-threatening pilgrimage of people – back and forth across the bridge in an attempt to gather pieces of their lives and torn families. Violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty for eight years. It is still difficult to imagine that such things are still possible in twenty years of Europe, ”said Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė.
Lithuania is stepping up defense-related assistance to Ukraine by increasing the number of military instructors in the country and providing additional armaments and equipment. Stinger anti-aircraft missiles from Lithuania will reach Ukraine in the coming days.
“I hope and sincerely wish that these missiles would never be launched, but I am proud that Lithuania can help by putting them in the hands of the reliable men and women of Ukraine, who are defending their homeland and the peaceful sleep of its children,” the Prime Minister said.
In eight years, the war on the Ukrainian side alone has cost 14,000. lives. About 1.5 million people were forced to leave their homes and build a life from scratch.