We appreciate the contribution of Latvian business to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine and restore the affected regions of Ukraine
This was stated by The Vice-Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Olena Kondratiuk during a meeting with Ambassador of Latvia to Ukraine Ilgvars Klava and a delegation of Latvian businessmen who are actively involved in providing assistance to Ukraine.
The Vice-Speaker expressed her sincere gratitude to Latvia as a state for the unprecedented military assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the amount of more than 370 million euros. She said that, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, as of August 2023, Latvia has provided military assistance amounting to more than 1% of GDP. This is the second highest figure among all international partners.
In addition, Olena Kondratiuk noted, the Government of Latvia has provided almost 19 million euros in financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. In particular, ambulances, medical equipment and medicines, patrol cars, buses and generators, personal protective equipment for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"The unity and support of Latvian society for Ukrainians is impressive! After all, the lion's share of the assistance provided to Ukraine comes from Latvian non-governmental organizations and businesses. We are grateful to the non-governmental and business sector of Latvia, whose efforts have collected and transferred financial and technical assistance worth about 42 million euros," the Vice-Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament emphasized.
One of these companies, she noted, is the Latvijas Finieris Woodworking Industry Concern headed by Uldis Bikis, which has provided over 4 million euros in assistance to Ukraine during the full-scale war. Olena Kondratiuk also said that Latvijas Finieris has been actively involved in supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the regions most affected by russian aggression, cooperating with the national charity foundation Ziedot.lv and the Confederation of Ukrainian Societies of Latvia — Viche.
"We are grateful to Mr. Uldis Bikis and Ms. Iolanta Medne, who is the coordinator of the UOP Ukrainian projects, for their solidarity and sincere desire to help Ukraine to withstand and win this war and recover from the consequences caused by russian aggression as soon as possible," said the Vice-Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine.