It will be very difficult for Ukraine without US support, but it will be able to cope thanks to its own weapons

Ukraine will have a very difficult time without the support of the United States, but it will be able to cope thanks to its own weapons production. This was stated in an interview with LIGA.net by the Minister of Defense in the previous government of Lithuania, Deputy Chairman of the Seimas Committee on Defense Laurynas Kasčiūnas.

He stated that it would be very difficult without US support, but noted: "But Ukrainians are a brave nation. You are already capable of producing your own weapons and creating big problems for the Russian troops with various types of drones of your own production."

According to Kasčiūnas, Ukraine can already independently produce 50 weapons, and the main thing for Kyiv now is to accelerate its own defense industry and be ready to become as autonomous as possible.

The politician suggested that the United States would likely at least continue to share intelligence with Ukraine, and there would be progress on the issue of air defense systems: "So that Ukrainians could at least buy them from the United States."

However, he emphasized: this situation does not mean that Ukraine will fall.

"At the end of last year, there were many interpretations that the Ukrainians were losing the front, that it was falling apart. But the front did not crumble. It is difficult for Ukraine to fight, but you are fighting, you hold the front line, you have your own weapons, you have lines of fortifications and you are preserving your statehood," Kasčiūnas explained.

He also noted that Europe will support Ukraine: "Europe's problem is in the production capacity of military equipment. We are moving forward little by little, but only little by little. However, the European Union and Europe have money, and it can be invested in the Ukrainian defense industry."

• On April 12, Minister of Strategic Industries Smetanin stated that in 2024, a third of the growth in Ukraine's gross domestic product was provided by the country's defense-industrial complex.
• On May 30, Foreign Minister Sybiha reported that since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has scaled up weapons production and today can cover about 40% of the Defense Forces' needs.
• On May 31, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Syrskyi stated that in a month the Defense Forces had struck 58 targets on Russian territory.