Lithuania, Ukraine sign memo of cooperation in defense industry

The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense has signed a memorandum of intent with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense to establish the joint BRAVE Lithuania program, the Lithuanian ministry’s press service has said on Monday.

"This initiative aims to strengthen cooperation between Lithuania and Ukraine in the field of defense innovation, promote the development of cutting-edge technologies, and accelerate their application to address practical defense challenges. Lithuania and Ukraine have also confirmed their readiness to jointly support defense innovation, improve existing technological solutions, and strengthen the defense capabilities of both countries," the statement reads.

The stated goal of the initiative is "to create a practical cooperation mechanism that unites the defense innovation ecosystems of both countries, to promote the development of technologies that meet real operational needs, and to accelerate the transition of promising solutions from the concept and prototype stages to testing, verification, and practical application. It also aims to ensure that supported projects meet real defense needs and, where possible, are based on combat experience, operational feedback, and the practical needs of the defense sector."

It is reported that to implement this initiative, Lithuania and Ukraine will consider the use of additional financial instruments, including national funds, support from international donors, European Union instruments, private investment, venture capital, and other financing mechanisms.