During Laurynas Kasčiūnas’ visit to Kyiv on Monday, the memorandum was signed by his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov and Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin.
The Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation are the signatories on behalf of Lithuania.
"The Memorandum we have signed is more of an umbrella type, but it also sets the direction for these other practical matters. (...) I am in favour of an experimental army – an army that should be into tests, not just wait for the final product. To look at what is available in Lithuania, at home, what one can make closer to home, and what it looks like on the battlefield," Kasčiūnas told a press conference on Tuesday.
"If we were used to understanding war in terms of the reality of the 20th century, today it is completely different. (...) Today, war is much more technologically motivated," Minister of the Economy and Innovation Aušrinė Armonaitė said, adding that Lithuania also needs to invest in its domestic industry capabilities and defence research.
The memorandum sets out cooperation between Lithuania and Ukraine on the production of unmanned aerial vehicles, ground and naval vehicles, electronic warfare systems, development of ammunition, explosives and projectiles production capacities in both countries, and invest in defence research and development.
Lithuania undertakes to ensure that Ukraine will have a prior right to buy Lithuanian defence products, components and materials.
Kasčiūnas revealed that Lithuania is also conducting negotiations on the development of Ukraine’s deep strike capabilities and the transfer of the production process of Palianytsia missiles to Lithuania.
"We are looking for the best solutions on how to do that (invest in Ukraine’s defence industry – ELTA). We are talking and modelling the establishment of a joint company so that other things could be manufactured in Lithuania – we are talking about the Palianytsia and other options. We also want to bring production and assembly lines to Lithuania," the minister stressed.