Can Europe replace US aid to Ukraine? Lithuanian Foreign Minister responds
Kęstutis Budrys, Lithuanian Foreign Minister (Photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
It is unlikely that Europe will be able to fully replace the assistance that the United States provides to Ukraine. This is because there are critical supplies that cannot be replaced in Europe, says the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kęstutis Budrys, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
"There are some critical supplies that we do not have a substitute for, and we all know what they are. This is the reason why we have to continue cooperating with the US," he says.
On the other hand, according to the Minister, there needs to be more cooperation between the EU and Ukraine as a future EU member in the defense industry. In particular, Lithuania is already investing in Ukraine's defense industry.
"We are looking for collaboration and cooperation projects between our companies. I believe that we will be stronger with our own production and there will be no gaps uncovered between Ukraine and Europe in what we produce. That's our target," Budrys added.
EU assistance to Ukraine
European countries have been assisting Ukraine in its fight against Russia's aggression from the very first days of the large-scale invasion.
In mid-March, the EU proposed creating a fund to send military assistance to Ukraine in the range of 20 to 40 billion euros. The fund will operate on a voluntary participation basis to avoid a veto from Hungary.
On April 1, it became known that Ukraine, within the framework of the Ukraine Facility program, received another tranche of assistance. The support amounted to 3.5 billion euros (3.79 billion dollars).
It should be noted that Europe has repeatedly emphasized the threat posed to EU countries by Russia. Recently, the Financial Times, citing comments from defense ministers, wrote that a ceasefire in Ukraine would sharply increase security risks for the Baltic States. They believe that Russia will not stop rearming and redeploying troops to NATO's northeastern flank.
