On Friday, 16 April, in a remote meeting with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Ukrainian Parliament, members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima expressed their strong and unwavering support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. During the meeting, Latvian and Ukrainian MPs discussed the current situation in Ukraine and near its borders.

“Russia’s military escalation and pressure impose a heavy burden on any diplomatic attempts at resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Latvia’s support for Ukraine remains unchanged, and we are ready to actively defend this position in the European Union (EU) and other international organisations. Russia must understand that Ukraine will not be abandoned and left alone in its fight against Russia. The fact that Latvia and the EU take the current situation near Ukraine’s borders seriously is evident from the increased diplomatic activity and the fact that the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday will be dedicated to the security situation in Ukraine,” emphasised Rihards Kols, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Ukrainian MPs thanked Members of the Saeima for their support and underlined the need for uninterrupted support from the international community and even greater pressure on Russia. Members of the Verkhovna Rada noted that the situation in Ukraine’s border regions is very serious and alarming, stressing that the de‑occupation of Crimea remains a topical issue in Ukraine. Members of the Ukrainian Parliament attested their commitment to democracy and its values and their vision for the conflict resolution through diplomacy and dialogue.

Discussing future cooperation and actions that could be taken to stabilise the situation in Ukraine, members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima stressed that the events in Ukraine also have an impact on the security of Latvia, the Baltic region, and the entire Europe.

Saeima Press Service