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On Sunday, 9 July, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, met with Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, and thanked the Latvian people for their strong support for Ukraine, including in its path to NATO, as well as for Latvia’s practical assistance.

“The NATO Summit in Vilnius next week will not only determine the security of our region, but also the future of Ukraine. Ukraine has already earned its place within the European Union and NATO. On our part – the Saeima and the government – we will do everything in our power to enhance this support and help Ukraine move forward quicker every step of the way,” the Speaker of the Saeima said.

“We are working closely together almost every day, exchanging ideas on what needs to be done. Latvia and its people will continue to support Ukraine until it regains all of its territory within the borders established in 1991 and no less,” Speaker Smiltēns emphasised. Latvia’s support for Ukraine has reached 1.3% of GDP.

The Speaker of the Saeima thanked Ruslan Stefanchuk and the people of Ukraine for defending our common values of freedom, independence and democracy. “They are doing so with weapons, giving their lives and loved ones. This is an immense sacrifice in the name of our shared values,” the Speaker stressed.

The Speaker of the Saeima has invited the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada to attend the Grand Finale Concert of the Song and Dance Festival tonight in Mežaparks. Ruslan Stefanchuk emphasised that it is a great honour to be in Latvia at such a moment, and the fact that the national anthem of Ukraine has already been played at the Festival is deeply moving and attests to the solidarity and power within our people. During the Festival, at the massed choir concert in the Mežaparks Great Stage, choirs from all across Latvia sang the Ukrainian national anthem together.

Tomorrow, on 10 July, the Saeima will host a meeting between the Speaker of the Saeima Edvards Smiltēns, the Speaker of the Estonian Riigikogu Lauri Hussar, the Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, the Marshal of the Polish Sejm Elżbieta Witek and the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk. In light of the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius, during the meeting a joint statement is to be adopted on support for the security of Ukraine and its membership to NATO. A press conference will be held after the meeting.

Press briefing: 

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Saeima Press Service