NATO ‘will do nothing’ if Lithuania invaded says Honcharuk
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The news comes as multiple Eastern European states remain on high alert following the invasion with many nervous the war could spread west. Lithuania will now seal a deal with EU partner France according to the national defence ministry.
The country will purchase 18 new-generation 155mm Ceasar Marktll self-propelled wheeled Howitzers worth around £130million.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas and French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu signed a declaration of intent for the howitzers in Paris.
Mr Anušauskas said: “The acquisition of the French Caesar MarktII new generation artillery systems will be the largest project the Lithuanian Armed Forces has ever had with France.”
The minister added that it would increase the defensive capabilities of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
The country will join the Caesar Mark II generation artillery system development programme of the General Directorate for Armament of France.
Agreements are expected to be signed before July 30, and will run in parallel with the French ammunition and weaponry systems manufacturer NEXTER.
Other EU nations are also interested in joining the scheme to work with the company and obtain the weapon.
Included in the list are Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark and France, all NATO members, and all interested in purchasing the equipment.
Speaking of the need to arm themselves, Lithuanian Defence Minister Mr Anušauskas said: “The war against Ukraine has made it obvious that indirect fire capability is essential, and therefore it is vital for us to provide it for the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
“We cannot afford to wait until the next war.”
Lithuania is one of only eight NATO members meeting the minimum expenditure of two percent of GDP to be part of NATO.
According to globalfirepower.com, Lithuania has 16,000 active military personnel, with a further 15,000 in reserve.
The forum also suggests Lithuania has 11,000 paramilitary personnel within its ranks.
As one of the smaller nations in Europe, military hardware is limited.
Its air force consists of 5 helicopters and 5 transport aircraft.
In terms of land power, the country can deploy over 500 armoured vehicles, 21 self-propelled artillery units, and 54 towing.
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Across the seas, Lithuania’s navy has 11 vessels, with 4 of them designed for active patrol and 4 dedicated mine warfare ships.
As a NATO member, the country also offers 61 airports across the nation, some of which can be used for military purposes.
The total defence budget for the state is around £1billion per year.
Lithuania, like much of Europe, has been highly dependent on Russian energy, however, since the start of the Russian invasion, the country has taken steps to decrease its dependency on Moscow.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces invaded Ukraine, Lithuania was the first European Union member to announce it was stopping all Russian gas imports.
Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda tweeted: “From this month on – no more Russian gas in Lithuania.
“If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too!”
For more stories like this, follow Express.co.uk Defence and Security Correspondent James Lee on Twitter: @JamesLee_DE
The country has since secured total energy independence away from Russia.
Furthermore, Lithuania’s parliament designated Russia a terrorist country and labelled its actions as genocide.
It has repeatedly urged other EU countries to follow its lead and stop buying the Kremlin’s energy.
Speaking of the move away from Russian energy, Lithuania’s Energy Minister Albinas Zananavicius said: “It is necessary to understand that buying Russian energy sources means that you finance the war.
“You have to choose sides and choosing the wrong side in history is a very big damage for your future, which will, in turn, make your country less attractive for investments.”
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