“We are and will be with Ukraine until its victory,” said Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima, at a meeting with the speakers of the parliaments of the Baltic States, Poland, and Ukraine in Białystok, Poland, on Tuesday, 11 June.
The Speaker of the Saeima stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between the countries of the region and leading by setting an example of support not only to Europe, but the whole world. We, our country and our people, pay tribute to Ukrainians for the heroism they show every day. We are hurting with you every day, said Speaker Mieriņa, highlighting in particular the fate of the abducted Ukrainian children. “Each step forward is crucial, every little sign of our readiness to stand together and to do more is an enormous stride for all of us, which shows our attitude and that we do not relax or tire even for a moment,” said Mieriņa.
The speakers were united in their support for Ukraine, stressing that Ukraine is fighting not only for its own freedom, but for the freedom of all of us. Our region is a significant element in the security architecture of the entire Europe and it is important to demonstrate a strong common position also at the upcoming NATO Summit in Washington, D.C.
The Speaker of the Saeima emphasised that we clearly see Ukraine in the joint defence space. “There is a need for strong military support—war cannot be won only by defending,” added Mieriņa.
The speakers also discussed the confiscation of Russian assets, as well as the allocation of a part of the GDP to support Ukraine. As emphasised by Mieriņa, Latvia has already committed to dedicating 0.25 per cent of its GDP to support Ukraine every year. Connectivity issues in the region were also discussed, including Rail Baltica as an infrastructure project of strategic and military importance.
At the meeting, the speakers agreed on a joint declaration on deepening parliamentary cooperation in the area of security in view of the continuing escalation by Russia of its war of aggression against Ukraine. In the declaration, the speakers undertake to reinforce the role of the countries of the region in the context of Central and Eastern European security and support for Ukraine.
The declaration condemns the Kremlin’s hybrid actions, cyberattacks, and spreading disinformation, as well as the regimes of Belarus, Iran, and North Korea, which support Russia militarily. The speakers agree that the current sanctions against Russia are not sufficient to stop Putin’s war machine, they need to be significantly expanded, and their circumvention needs to be efficiently counteracted. The declaration also expresses support for Ukraine’s membership of the European Union and NATO.
The Speaker of the Saeima is in Poland until 11 June to participate in the meeting of the speakers of the parliaments of the Baltic States, Poland, and Ukraine. Speaker Mieriņa is joined by Lauri Hussar, the President of the Estonian Riigikogu, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, the Speaker of the Seimas of Lithuania, Szymon Hołownia, the Marshal of the Polish Sejm, and Ruslan Stefanchuk, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
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Saeima Press Service