“Today Ukraine is gaining more and more momentum. Russia’s war machine is slowing down. This year we may reach a point where Russia simply will not be able to recover,” he said on Monday during the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) spring session in Vilnius.
“I say this as a former head of the drone capabilities team. Now we have a very good understanding of the challenges we face on the battlefield and can therefore ensure that all decisions are aligned with the needs of the soldiers. We know how to achieve this,” the deputy minister asserted.
M. Banikas joined the NATO PA session remotely and answered parliamentarians’ questions.
He stated that the priorities in ensuring Ukraine’s defense remain the same – drones, rockets, air defense, artillery, ammunition.
According to M. Banikas, Ukraine’s industry can produce 20 million drones and other weapons per year. He noted that opportunities have opened up for small companies and startups to participate in this field.
On the other hand, the Ukrainian representative emphasized that allied support remains one of the main aspects of his country’s defense.
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“This year, 155 billion dollars are needed to effectively defend Ukraine and Europe. More than 60 billion is bilateral support. We are very grateful for this support, especially to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia,” he said.
On the other hand, the deputy minister said that only 24 billion out of the promised 39 billion dollars worth of weapons and ammunition have been delivered according to the schedule.
According to the deputy minister, European countries, unfortunately, cannot provide Ukrainians with the necessary weapons in a short time, and the US remains one of the most important arms suppliers.
“Ukraine has very unique experience, and we are ready to share it. Our technologies are not only tested on the front line, they are developed there. We are ready to share them with partners and that cooperation would be mutually beneficial. In the end, Ukraine will win, but we need the appropriate means and speed,” said M. Banikas.
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