Lithuanian defmin in Israel: our countries united by common military spirit

VILNIUS - Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene, currently on a visit to Israel, says the two countries are united by a common military spirit.

"Small countries with aggressive neighbors, such as Israel and Lithuania, are united by a common military spirit - to defend their country and their people. My goal is to have an army that is not just capable of fighting one battle, but capable of winning a war," a press release issued by the ministry on Monday quoted her as saying.

She made the remarks after a meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, during which the politicians discussed key issues of bilateral cooperation.

According to the Lithuanian minister, both countries face similar security threats. In her view, closer cooperation between the two countries would enable Lithuania to strengthen its defense capabilities and contribute to a broader international resilience strategy aimed at ensuring the long-term security of both countries.

"Given the rapidly changing geopolitical environment, Lithuania and Israel have more similarities than differences. We want to take over the experience gained during a difficult period of war and apply the lessons learned in Lithuania," Sakaliene said.

"Israel is strategically important to us; its army has gained experience in war, learning painful lessons while defending its people. It is not a 'paper army' but one that knows what it means to defend its country, and learning from its experience is particularly important to us," she added.

According to the ministry, Sakaliene invited Israel to develop defense industry in Lithuania and expressed interest in the country's experience in attracting military personnel, strengthening motivation, applying high-tech products, and implementing innovation testing systems.

Sakaliene will be visiting the Middle Eastern country until Tuesday. This is the first visit by a Lithuanian defense minister to Israel in 14 years.

The minister earlier said she had discussed the potential for Israeli missile production in Lithuania during bilateral meetings in Israel.

Israel resumed its military campaign in the Gaza Strip on March 18. A ceasefire agreement that had largely halted the fighting for two months collapsed over disagreements with Palestinian militant group Hamas, whose 2023 attack triggered the war.

The Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians.