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On Thursday, 28 August, after the meeting of the European Affairs Committee devoted to the developments in Ukraine, Chairperson Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica emphasised that “at the upcoming European Council the European Union should immediately decide on a response to Russia’s blatant aggression in Ukraine. Every minute we receive information verified by the highest officials of Ukraine and other countries that warfare in Ukraine is conducted by regular Russian troops with armoured vehicles bearing no marking of their affiliation to a particular country.” This issue will also be on the agenda of the informal meeting of the foreign affairs ministers of the European Union, the so-called Gymnich, to be held on 29–30 August.
“The presence and activity of the Russian army in the territory of another sovereign country is completely unacceptable, and Latvia regards the prolonged tension in Ukraine as a threat to its own security,” stated the Chairperson; therefore, she emphasised that we have to exert special effort in urging the EU and NATO to respond. At the same time, Kalniņa-Lukaševica reaffirmed Latvia’s unwavering solidarity with Ukraine.
When the Chairperson enquired about the status quo regarding declaring the self-proclaimed republics formed in the territory of Ukraine as terrorist organisations, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the process is in its technical phase and that the matter will be considered further in the beginning of September.
During the Committee meeting, representatives of the Ministry were reminded that upon making decisions concerning the situation in Ukraine, ministers for foreign affairs of the EU member states must not forget the events of the recent past, including the murder of the Lithuanian honorary consul in Ukraine, the downing of the Malaysian passenger plane over Ukraine, the turning of Russia’s annexed Crimea into a military bastion, the hostages held by separatists, as well as the deal between France and Russia regarding the sale of Mistral-class ship. MPs expressed their concern that the planned deployment of the Mistral-class ship in the Black Sea can be regarded as a threat not only to Ukraine but also to EU member states, including Latvia.
The need to start thinking about international monitoring of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada elections scheduled for October was also emphasised during the meeting.
Saeima Press Service