“Ukraine and Europe must be present at the peace negotiations where the future of Ukraine—and our future—is decided. Europe does not benefit from a frozen conflict or a mere ceasefire. Europe is solely interested in reaching a peace agreement. Ukraine’s independence must never become a bargaining chip in the hands of global superpowers,” emphasised Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Monday, 24 February, at the extraordinary parliamentary sitting convened to commemorate three years since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

On Thursday, 20 February, Speaker of the Saeima Daiga Mieriņa welcomed Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas to the Parliament for discussions on support for Ukraine. Both leaders agreed that Ukraine must be directly involved in negotiations on the peace process.

“The war has strengthened our society, making it more active, courageous, and democratic. It has fostered a spirit of initiative, where people do not wait for orders from above but take action, mobilise, seek solutions, and respond proactively. This support is a testament to the resilience of Latvia’s civil society. Non-governmental organisations and volunteers lead by example, inspiring politicians to make bold decisions,” stated Deputy Speaker of the Saeima Antoņina Ņenaševa on Thursday, 20 February, at the opening of the exhibition "Three Years Together: Latvia’s Support for Ukraine" in parliament.

Marking three years since Russia's full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, the Saeima on Thursday, 20 February, adopted a statement reaffirming its unwavering solidarity with the Ukrainian people in their heroic fight for statehood, honouring those who have fallen in war, and pledging continued support for Ukraine until its victory.

“Latvia has an interest in seeing secure and stable growth in the Western Balkans as well as further integration of the region with the European Union. We are willing to assist in Serbia’s reform process with our own experience, and we highly value Serbia’s commitment to EU integration as a strategic objective,” said Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Tuesday, 18 February, welcoming Ana Brnabić, Speaker of the National Assembly of Serbia, at the Latvian parliament.

“Time to act with greater resolve! It is time for the European Union and for every leader to do more and to take on additional responsibility for security, not just in Ukraine, but also in Europe and the world at large,” emphasised Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Thursday, 30 January, in her address at the annual foreign policy debate at the Latvian parliament. Speaker Mieriņa underlined that Latvia has already become an example for many European countries due to its leadership in tackling significant geopolitical issues.

On Thursday, 30 January, in her address to the participants of the annual foreign policy debate of the Saeima, Ināra Mūrniece, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said that U.S. leadership in finding a solution to Russia’s war in Ukraine can reasonably be expected. “Ukrainians will have the final word on what kind of peace or ceasefire is acceptable to them. That is why during the talks, Ukraine must be present at the table, not on the table,” emphasised MP Mūrniece.

On Wednesday, 29 January, the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) approved the report drafted by its Chairperson Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica on the situation in Georgia. Based on this report, PACE will decide on the conditions for future cooperation with Georgia.

“Yet another Baltic Sea cable is damaged by yet another ship. This time, damage was done to a data cable connecting Latvia and Sweden. Together we must prevent Russia from creating new types of threats, which is why the next EU sanctions package must target the vessels of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ that transport oil,” emphasised Edmunds Cepurītis, Chair of the Saeima European Affairs Committee, during the meeting of the chairpersons of the European Union (EU) Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs (COSAC) in Warsaw on Monday, 27 January.

On Monday, 27 January, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (hereinafter – the Assembly) has challenged the credentials of the Georgian delegation and requested the Assembly’s Monitoring Committee to prepare an urgent report on the situation in Georgia following an opinion of over 30 Assembly members that the developments in Georgia undermine its democracy. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Chair of the Monitoring Committee and Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, indicates that the report is scheduled for discussion on Wednesday, 29 January, at the Assembly plenary session, where the framework for PACE’s future cooperation with the Georgian delegation will also be decided. 

Countries striving to break free from Russia’s orbit will inevitably face its resistance and provocations. This must be expected, met with calm resolve, and addressed with a clear focus on set goals. This was emphasised by the Speaker of the Saeima, Daiga Mieriņa, on Friday, 24 January, during a meeting in Yerevan with members of the Armenian Parliament's Committees on Foreign Affairs and European Integration.

Latvia welcomes Armenia’s decision to pursue the path of European integration and is ready to provide the necessary political and practical support for this endeavour. This was stated by the Speaker of the Saeima, Daiga Mieriņa, on Thursday, 23 January, during a meeting in Yerevan with the President of Armenia, Vahagn Khachaturyan.

On Thursday, 23 January, the Saeima adopted a statement in defence of the interests of the Belarusian people, condemning the consolidation of power by Alexander Lukashenko's regime. In the statement, the Saeima does not recognise the Belarusian presidential elections scheduled for 26 January this year as legitimate, emphasising that they bear no resemblance to a free and fair electoral process.

We aim to promote security and stability in the South Caucasus region and firmly support the peace process that has been initiated. The peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be a significant step that will also promote the region's economic growth and the well-being of its people. This was emphasised by the Speaker of the Saeima, Daiga Mieriņa, on Thursday, 23 January, during a meeting in Yerevan with the President of the Armenian Parliament, the National Assembly, Alen Simonyan. Speaker Mieriņa visited the Armenian Parliament along with the Speakers and Deputy Speakers of the Baltic and Nordic (NB8) parliaments, who are currently on a joint visit to Armenia.

To ensure fair competition with foreign companies shipping strategic goods, on Thursday, 16 January, the Saeima adopted in the third and final reading amendments to the Law on the Circulation of Goods of Strategic Significance.

Concluding her visit to Ukraine, Speaker of the Saeima Daiga Mieriņa met with Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, Rustem Umerov, in Kyiv on Wednesday, 15 January.

Concluding the first day of her visit to Kyiv, the Speaker of the Saeima, Daiga Mieriņa, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday, 14 January.

Latvia sees promising opportunities for collaboration between entrepreneurs from both countries, particularly in jointly advancing military capabilities. Recognising the importance of ensuring sustainable peace in the region, Latvia acknowledges that it is at the beginning stages of developing its military industry but already has much to learn from and share with Ukraine. This was expressed by the Speaker of the Saeima, Daiga Mieriņa, on Tuesday, 14 January, during a meeting in Kyiv with Ukraine’s Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal.

As the war reaches a decisive phase, Europe must assume a leading role in both Ukraine's peace process and its reconstruction. Ukraine's future within Europe is not only a matter of shared interest but also of shared responsibility. A free Ukraine in the common European family is a vision we all hold dear. This was the key message delivered by the Speaker of the Saeima, Daiga Mieriņa, on Tuesday, 14 January, in Kyiv, during her meeting with the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk.

To reduce alcohol consumption nationwide, the Saeima on Thursday, 9 January, adopted amendments to the Law on the Circulation of Alcoholic Beverages in the third and final reading. These amendments, among other things, introduce new restrictions on alcohol sales hours effective from 1 August.