Taiwan will join the funding of the international coalition for demining in Ukraine, led by Lithuania and Iceland, and will contribute 2 million USD to the Coalition Fund.
This was reported by the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense.
According to the report, representatives from Lithuania's Ministry of Defense held talks with Taiwan's Representation in Vilnius regarding support for Ukraine, with a special focus on demining operations.
"During the meeting, Taiwan expressed its intention to contribute to Lithuania's demining efforts in Ukraine and donate 2 million USD to the Coalition Fund," the statement said. It also emphasized the importance of cooperation between the Coalition member countries and Taiwan, as this is one way for democratic societies to collaborate on specific initiatives that contribute to Ukraine's security and reconstruction.
The signing ceremony in Vilnius of Taiwan's contribution to the Coalition Fund was attended by former island president Tsai Ing-wen, who supported strengthening Taiwan's cooperation with Lithuania in providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
“Taiwan and Lithuania unanimously recognize the importance and necessity of cooperation in addressing the demining issue in Ukraine. Both parties acknowledged that unexploded ordnance presents a serious threat to civilian safety and is a major obstacle to socio-economic progress in conflict-affected regions,” stated the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense.
According to her, Taiwan has already successfully supported joint cooperation projects with Lithuania aimed at restoring Ukrainian schools and kindergartens damaged during the war, and such efforts have helped restore educational opportunities for Ukrainian children in affected communities.
Lithuania's Ministry of Defense emphasized that the Baltic country continues to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, and this year, the Ministry of Defense plans to contribute 30 million euros to the Coalition Fund for demining efforts in Ukraine, specifically for purchasing demining equipment.
Contamination of Ukrainian land by unexploded ordnance and remnants of war remains one of the greatest threats to the civilian population.
At the same time, there is an urgent need for equipment to clear minefields and carry out Ukraine's own mine-laying operations along the front lines.
To address these issues, in February 2024, the Ukraine Demining Coalition was created as part of the work of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. This coalition became one of the eight capability coalitions coordinated by Lithuania and Iceland.
The Demining Coalition is the largest coalition by the number of participants, consisting of 22 countries.
