Zelenskyy says Vilnius could become weapons export hub for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda on Sunday discussed military cooperation, support for Ukraine’s energy system, and new initiatives in the defence sector.

Zelenskyy said special attention during the meeting was given to strengthening military cooperation and developing joint defence projects. He noted that Lithuania has proposed opening an arms export platform in Vilnius, which could become an important tool for enhancing the defence capabilities of Ukraine and its partners.

The leaders also discussed support for the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, launched by NATO and the United States in August 2025. The mechanism enables Allies to rapidly purchase US-manufactured weapons and ammunition for Ukraine. They also addressed cooperation within the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme, a €150 billion EU financial instrument adopted in May 2025, designed to accelerate the joint procurement of defence equipment.

Zelenskyy briefed his Lithuanian counterpart on Russia’s daily attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, stressing the urgent need to ensure energy resilience and to strengthen air defence systems.

He thanked Lithuania for its concrete assistance, noting that the country has already decided to provide nearly 100 generators to Ukrainian cities and communities.

“Our diplomacy is also one of the most important aspects of negotiations. I shared the latest details of diplomatic efforts for peace, including meetings between Ukrainian, US, and Russian delegations in Abu Dhabi. Ukraine, as always, is doing everything possible to bring this war to an end,” Zelenskyy said.