During the Twelfth session of the Council of Presidents of Ukraine and Lithuania under the presidency of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Gitanas Nausėda, the parties discussed the issues of deepening bilateral cooperation, support for Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration and reconstruction of Donbas.
The Head of State thanked the Lithuanian party for providing practical assistance to Ukraine, in particular for the medical rehabilitation of wounded Ukrainian servicemen. Already more than 270 servicemen have undergone rehabilitation in Lithuania. This is the highest indicator among the countries of the world in providing state specialized medical rehabilitation for the Ukrainian military.
“I also thank for the social reconstruction of Donbas. In particular, the project of renovation of a school in Avdiivka for the sum of EUR 1 million. Thank you for your support,” the President said.
For his part, Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Vladyslav Krykliy told about the reconstruction of the bridge over the Siverskyi Donets River in Stanytsia Luhanska, where local residents cross the delimitation line.
"We should build bridges not walls between people," he said.
According to Vladyslav Krykliy, a record of almost 2 billion UAH for the financing of infrastructure projects in Donbas is included in the state budget for the next year. Financial participation of international partners is also envisaged.
Cyber security challenges and countering propaganda were also discussed.
The parties touched upon the issue of involving Ukraine in the NATO Enhanced Opportunities Program.
The Lithuanian side praised the reforms in Ukraine.
Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine Tymofiy Mylovanov said that the trade turnover between Ukraine and Lithuania had increased by 37.1% and reached USD 1.5 billion in the nine months of this year. At the same time, exports to Lithuania increased by a quarter, while imports of Lithuanian goods to Ukraine increased by 42.1% compared to the corresponding period last year. It is not only bilateral trade volume that is increasing. The nomenclature of goods in mutual supply is also expanding.
According to Tymofiy Mylovanov, investment cooperation has also intensified: for the fourth consecutive year, the volume of Lithuanian investments in the Ukrainian economy is growing significantly.
"Currently, Lithuania has invested $ 182 million in the Ukrainian economy, and in the first nine months of this year alone, the growth amounted to $ 32 million, which is more than 20% of the total amount," he said.
The Minister of Economy stressed that the further development of economic ties between the two countries depended directly on the cooperation between Ukrainian and Lithuanian businesses. That is why the Ukrainian-Lithuanian Economic Forum, which takes place on November 27 as part of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's official visit to the Republic of Lithuania, is so important.
