Latvia's assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of Russian aggression has reached 595 million euros, which is 0.85% of the state's gross domestic product.
As Ukrinform reports, Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins stated this in the annual report on Latvian foreign policy, Delfi reports.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the volume of macro-financial, humanitarian and development assistance from the Latvian budget has amounted to about 39 million euros. These funds were used to contribute to UN, World Bank, European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and OECD instruments to support Ukraine, as well as to finance cooperation projects.
Karins emphasized that Latvia continues to participate in the process of reconstruction of Ukraine, paying special attention to the Chernihiv region. In particular, an agreement for 2 million euros was concluded with the UN Development Program on the restoration of social infrastructure in this region.
In 2023, Latvia allocated 5.1 million euros for the restoration of Ukraine, of which 3.1 million euros were implemented by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for various projects.
As the minister noted, in 2023, simultaneously with the implementation of projects to overcome the consequences of the war, projects were being implemented to support the European integration of Ukraine, for which more than 500,000 euros were allocated from the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, 240 Ukrainian soldiers have undergone treatment and rehabilitation in hospitals and rehabilitation centers in Riga.
As noted in the report, Latvian civil society, entrepreneurs and the non-governmental sector continue to actively support Ukraine, providing humanitarian and military assistance. The charitable foundation “Ziedot.lv” has received donations amounting to more than 23.7 million euros, which are aimed at the needs of the defense sector of Ukraine, medical institutions, and Ukrainian refugees in Latvia.
“At the EU level, the Foreign Ministry advocates for a change in approach to support for Ukraine, stating that it should be more systematic and focused over a long period, since Russia still has enough resources to prolong its aggression. Latvia strongly supports the creation of a support instrument for Ukraine by 2027 in the amount of 50 billion euros to provide macro-financial assistance and support reforms,” Karins said.
The Foreign Minister noted that Latvia continued to provide Ukraine with all types of military assistance on a bilateral basis, the volume of which since the beginning of the aggression amounted to 370 million euros.
As Ukrinform reported, Ukraine has raised more than $42 billion this year. international assistance, which made it possible to finance all necessary expenses.
Photo: OP