The US and Lithuania have signed a reciprocal defence procurement agreement in a bid to increase military collaboration between the two countries.
The agreement was signed during Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas’ visit to the Pentagon.
According to a US Department of Defense (DoD) statement, the agreement will facilitate the acquisition of defence equipment and strengthen military interoperability.
The agreement will also improve conditions for mutual industrial cooperation supporting government-to-government procurement projects.
Located in the Baltic region of Europe, Lithuania has been a full member of Nato since 2004. The US and Lithuanian service members have served together in Afghanistan, and participated in several bilateral exercises over the years.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III said: “For decades, US and Lithuanian service members have stood shoulder to shoulder against common threats and adversaries working together to advance our shared interests and values.
“And today, the US again stands with Lithuania. And we’ll keep working together to strengthen the Lithuanian armed forces.”
Minister Arvydas Anusauskas remarked: “Today, we will sign a reciprocal defence procurement agreement that will enable easier cooperation between our defence industries.
“It will also pave the way for more government-to-government procurement projects. We invest in cyber, right alongside you, around the world, assisting Ukraine. We are spending more than a half billion dollars to procure US-made equipment.”
Last week, the US shipped the final components of a $60m security systems package to Ukraine.
The package included small arms and ammunition.
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