Latvia will further provide its solidary long-term support to Ukraine – political, financial, military – until Ukraine’s victory. Latvia also supports active measures against Russia’s war crimes, of which the kidnapping and deportation of the Ukrainian children are particularly inhuman and evil, emphasized Prime Minister Evika Siliņa during the meeting with Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska held on Wednesday 31 January.
The officials discussed Latvia’s support to the Ukrainian people in their fight against Russia’s invasion, as well as the conference “Russia’s War on Children” held in Rīga. The Prime Minister stressed that the abduction, deportation and illegal adoption of the Ukrainian children implemented by Russia and supported by Belarus are particularly evil and condemnable. The Ukrainian authorities have identified almost 20,000 children who have been kidnaped. Latvia welcomes active measures to ensure that the children return to their families and the perpetrators are punished.
“We are the allies of Ukraine in its struggle for freedom and your people’s struggle for the return of the abducted Ukrainian children. Latvia has a very vivid historical memory of forced deportation of the population by the occupation regime, attempts to use the most heinous means to break the will of the people to resist and to destroy their culture. This has a devastating effect on families and society as a whole. These war crimes are particularly evil and inhumane: the perpetrators must be punished under international law. Thank you for the heroic action against the invaders and telling the world about the crimes committed by the occupiers. We will support the efforts in returning the Ukrainian children in the hugs of their families,” underlined Evika Siliņa.
On 31 January, the Prime Minister also met with Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration to discuss the next steps in Ukraine’s accession to the European Union (EU) and in preparation for the European Council of 1 February. E. Siliņa confirmed that during the EU leaders’ meeting Latvia will support the proposed solutions to ensure that Ukraine receives predictable EU’s long-term financial assistance.
Latvia’s support to Ukraine has so far exceeded EUR 600 million or 1 % of country’s GDP. The government provides support in the military field and continues to support more than 53000 Ukrainian refugees in Latvia, including more than 4600 children and 46 teachers at Latvian schools.
Latvia provides further support to the Ukrainian soldiers in the health care institutions of Latvia, as well as training for Ukrainian soldiers. The Ukrainian children also receive rehabilitation in Latvia. Latvia has allocated funds for the reconstruction in the Chernihiv Oblast. One of the priorities is to provide psychological, social and emotional support and rehabilitation to the Ukrainian women.
