Lithuanian finance minister: Fighting corruption is in Ukraine's own interest
Lithuania will continue to support Ukraine and insist on continued financing despite recent anti-corruption revelations, but the fight against corruption must go on in Kyiv's own interest.
Lithuanian Finance Minister Kristupas Vaitiekunas said this in an interview with Ukrinform.
"Despite any scandals, we have to support Ukraine in all the possible means. It doesn't change much with scandals. Of course, we have to understand that this fight against corruption is first of all needed for Ukraine. And only after that, it's needed by Lithuania, Brussels, or the European Union. So, it's good for you to beat corruption, it’s all for your country, it’s you who need that. And of course, it will also be in our best interests, too, if your corruption is taken down," the minister said.
Commenting on the issue of providing Ukraine with an EU loan to cover its financial needs for 2026-2027, he stressed that the most important thing was to find a repayment mechanism that would not overburden a country at war.
"So, it must be easy, effective, and transparent to use. It's probably one of the most important things left to do with that," Vaitiekunas said.
He also emphasized the importance of funds arriving on time.
"Because in April, additional funds will be needed to keep the country running, to keep the military running, to keep that bureaucracy running, to keep the infrastructure working. So, this money has to reach you on time and then used effectively and transparently," Vaitiekunas said.
He also expressed confidence that the European Parliament and the Council of the EU would quickly complete the legislative work needed to ensure the timely arrival of the first tranche of the loan.
"There is simply no other option. If money runs out, how will the country at war operate? It cannot stop functioning. Because if it stops functioning, it will lose. So it's not an option," the minister said.
Last week, Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko and Director-General for Economic and Financial Affairs at the European Commission Maarten Verwey discussed details of launching a new financial instrument for Ukraine worth up to EUR 90 billion.
Earlier, on January 14, the European Commission presented an initiative to launch a new financial mechanism to support Ukraine in 2026-2027. It involves a loan of up to EUR 90 billion, financed through EU borrowing on international markets and backed by EU budget guarantees.
The initiative requires discussion among member states in the Council of the EU and consideration by the European Parliament.
The European Union remains the largest donor of financial assistance to Ukraine, having provided EUR 70.7 billion since February 2022. In 2025 alone, Ukraine received more than EUR 28.7 billion in financial support from the EU.