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“My heart breaks as I realise the terrible loss of your loved ones, the sorrowful tears of long-suffering Ukrainian mothers and wives. These tears are now writing the history of the Ukrainian people’s unwavering fight and love for their homeland and, at the same time, the history of Russia’s bloody cruelty. These sad pages of history will make our children and grandchildren respect and bow their heads to the Ukrainian people and also recognise the true face of Russia,” said Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Tuesday, 16 January, in Kyiv, in an address to the Members of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. 

A delegation of the Latvian Parliament has arrived in Kyiv today to show solidarity with the heroic people of Ukraine and to affirm Latvia’s strong, unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty.

The Speaker of the Saeima underlined that the people of Latvia feel a strong connection with the Ukrainian people’s heroic struggle for their freedom, because Latvians are familiar with Russia’s cruel aggression. “The strength of Ukraine's struggle on the battlefield and your work here in the Parliament is proof of the resilience of the Ukrainian state and invincibility of your spirit in the face of Russia’s cowardly aggression. Latvia stands with Ukraine and will continue to do so until Russian aggression is banished from the entire territory of Ukraine,” said Speaker Mieriņa, noting that Latvia’s total support for Ukraine in the two years since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion has surpassed 600 million euros.

The Speaker of the Saeima stated: we clearly envision Ukraine joining the family of free European countries in the near future. The European Council decision on accession talks with Ukraine is not just a symbolic step. Regarding the post-war European security architecture, the Speaker of the Saeima highlighted Ukraine’s NATO membership as one of the most important elements ensuring the security of Ukraine and the entire Europe.

“We will continue to work tirelessly to document and prosecute the war crimes committed by Russia on an enormous scale. We will pay special attention to the return of kidnapped Ukrainian children. However, to dispel any illusion for potential future dictators that history might repeat, we must ensure that the top leadership is held fully accountable for the crimes of aggression committed,” emphasised the Speaker of the Saeima.

“I wish the Ukrainian people that these atrocities, which arose from Russia's inexcusable aggression, would become history tomorrow—history that would serve as a stepping stone for the Ukrainian people to build on towards a brighter future for their homeland,” said Speaker Mieriņa in conclusion of her address.

The Speaker of the Saeima together with the Latvian Parliament delegation is currently on a visit to Ukraine. Speaker Mieriņa is accompanied by Antoņina Ņenaševa, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima; Raimonds Bergmanis, Chair of the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee; Ainars Latkovskis, Chair of the  National Security Committee; Jānis Skrastiņš, Chair of the Group for promoting cooperation with the Parliament of Ukraine, and Ināra Mūrniece, member of the Group.

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Saeima Press Service