On Thursday, 4 April, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal arrived in Latvia on an official visit, during which he and his delegation also visited Riga City Council and met the leadership of the capital and representatives of several Latvian municipalities.
At the meeting, officials discussed lessons learned from Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on how to rapidly and effectively develop civil protection and a security culture in their societies. The representatives of Latvian municipalities also stressed that they will continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia by providing all possible assistance.
"The longer the war continues, the more support Ukraine needs. This is undoubtedly a challenge for the whole Western world, but we are very well aware that Ukraine is now fighting not only for the freedom of its country from occupiers, but also for peace in Europe. From day one, Riga has supported Ukraine in every possible way and by every possible means, even setting an example for other cities. Ukraine can be sure of Riga's unwavering support - it will continue until the complete victory over the aggressor, and not only practically, but also politically, because Riga will use every opportunity to facilitate Ukraine's path towards full membership in the European Union," said Vilnis Ķirsis, Chairman of the Riga City Council.
"At a time when military support to Ukraine is slipping because of minor political squabbles, it is worth underlining that Riga will continue its steadfast and unwavering support to Ukraine until its victory. Riga and its citizens are setting an example to other European cities how not to give up and how to continue to support in the third year of war. But Ukraine is helping us too - not only by keeping the Kremlin hordes out of Europe, but also by sharing its considerable experience in civil protection and motivating us to decisively rid our city of Russia's imperialist legacy and influence. I am very grateful to Ukraine for this," said Linda Ozola, Deputy Speaker of the Riga City Council.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Riga has provided assistance to Ukrainian civilians, humanitarian aid and financial donations to meet the various needs of the war-torn country.
Information prepared by: Mārtiņš Vilemsons, Project Coordinator at External Communication Division of Riga City Council, email: martins.vilemsons@riga.lv
