Lithuania Expands Support for Ukraine With €20 Million Ammunition Allocation

Lithuania has pledged to allocate €20 million to Ukraine for the purchase of ammunition, according to the country’s Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė.

The minister emphasized the urgency of accelerating assistance to Ukraine, noting that “the summer could be very difficult.”

“For example, Lithuania intends to add another €20 million for ammunition purchases, as this is one of the most pressing needs for Ukraine right now,” she stated.

In June 2024, Lithuania’s State Defense Council agreed to allocate at least 0.25% of the country’s GDP annually for military assistance to Ukraine.

Since the start of the war, Lithuania has provided Ukraine with military aid valued at around €800 million.

The total amount of long-term assistance has surpassed €1.5 billion.

Lithuania typically supplies Ukraine with small arms ammunition, which is produced domestically.

The Lithuanian government will also allocate €36 million to expand the capacity of the state-owned cartridge manufacturer, Giraitės ginkluotės gamykla.

These funds will enable the plant to expedite the installation of a new production line, which was initially scheduled for later.

The new line, expected to double the factory’s capacity, is set to begin operations by 2027.

The cartridges produced at Giraitės ginkluotės gamykla, the only such facility in the Baltic States, are used by civilian, military, law enforcement agencies, and NATO structures.