According to the Office of the president, the meeting covered cooperation between the two countries in the defence industry, negotiations on Ukraine’s membership in the European Union (EU), regional security, and the situation on the front lines.
„Lithuania supports and will continue to support Ukraine in all areas by providing comprehensive political, military, and financial support, as well as humanitarian aid. We are also making every effort to assist the energy sector and other areas, contributing to the search for Ukrainian children deported to Russia and helping to bring them back,“ Nausėda stated in a press release issued on Monday.
The president emphasised the need to strengthen cooperation in the field of air defence and to develop the localisation of the defence industry, noting that Lithuania is a NATO Eastern Flank country investing in Ukraine’s defence industry.
„Despite enormous losses and economic problems, it does not appear that Russia is inclined to cease its aggression. Therefore, rather than pursuing only the prospect of peace, we must collectively make decisions with our NATO and EU partners that would ensure the necessary support for Ukraine this year and beyond,“ the president stated.
The president also emphasised that Lithuania’s strategic goal is Ukraine’s full EU membership by 2030.
ELTA notes that Zelenskyy appointed Budanov as head of his office earlier this year. He replaced Andriy Yermak in this position, who resigned last November after investigators searched his home as part of a large-scale corruption investigation.
Budanov has earned a legendary reputation in Ukraine and is credited with numerous achievements for daring operations against Russia, which launched a large-scale attack on its neighbour in 2022.