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Lithuania to allocate $32 million toward joint purchase of Patriot missile systems for Ukraine

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Lithuania to allocate $32 million toward joint purchase of Patriot missile systems for Ukraine
The NATO and Lithuanian flags fly over the summit venue on July 09, 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Vilnius is scheduled to host the July 11-12 2023 NATO Summit. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Lithuania plans to contribute up to 30 million euro ($32.5 million) toward the joint purchase of U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine, Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported on July 26.

The U.S.-built Patriot systems are a vital part of Ukraine's layered air defense, capable of intercepting ballistic and cruise missiles and providing protection against large-scale strikes on cities.

A complete Patriot system with interceptor missiles costs upwards of $1 billion.

The announcement came during a visit of Baltic defense ministers to the United States, where Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene confirmed the country’s intention to support Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.

Sakaliene’s pledge followed her meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, where the countries discussed deepening security cooperation and support for Ukraine.

Lithuania has been a steadfast ally of Ukraine in many areas since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, including through humanitarian initiatives, military aid, and diplomatic efforts.

Russia attacks Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles overnight
Explosions rocked Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts as Russia launched waves of missiles, drones, and guided aerial bombs overnight on July 26. Kharkiv’s Kyviskyi district has been hit twice by ballistic missiles.
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Sonya Bandouil

North American news editor

Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC. Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.

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"I don't see much point in them, (...) because it will be practically impossible to reach an agreement with the Ukrainian side on key issues: even if there is political will, which I doubt, there are legal and technical difficulties," Putin said.

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