Latvia has committed to providing Ukraine with domestically produced drones and radar defense systems, an announcement that underscores the deepening military and technical cooperation between the two nations.
The Ukrainian Ambassador to Latvia, Anatoliy Kucevol, highlighted this partnership in a recent interview with Ukrinform.
Kucevol emphasized Latvia’s leading role in the Ukrainian drone coalition, suggesting an increase in future announcements regarding the transfer of Latvian-made defense equipment to Ukraine.
The Latvian military aid package
The ambassador also highlighted the growing alliance for 155-mm shell production and supply and mentioned additional areas of cooperation that were confidential due to security concerns.
In late April, Latvia announced another aid package, which included air defense systems, short-range systems, drones, and electronic warfare equipment.
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa recently declared that from 2024 to 2026, Latvia would allocate 0.25% of its GDP annually to military assistance for Ukraine, totaling about 112 million euros this year. Siliņa also revealed that Latvia, in partnership with the United Kingdom, aims to spend at least 10 million euros on drones this year as part of the “unmanned coalition.”
Valdība tikko atbalstīja NBS pretgaisa aizsardzības lielgabalu, taktiskās bezpilota novērošanas sistēmas, kā arī citu būtisku materiāli tehnisko līdzekļu nodošanu Ukrainas bruņotajiem spēkiem. Tas palīdzēs uzlabot gan Ukrainas pretgaisa aizsardzību, gan izlūkošanas spējas. 1/2
— Evika Siliņa 🇱🇻🇺🇦 (@EvikaSilina) April 30, 2024
Broader scope of Latvia’s support
In addition to military aid, the Ukrainian embassy is working on psychological rehabilitation opportunities for Ukrainian children in Latvia. High-level conferences, including the “War Against Children” and meetings under the Crimean Platform, underscore the broader scope of Latvia’s support for Ukraine.
The rehabilitation and treatment of wounded Ukrainian soldiers is another critical area of collaboration.
Latvia has been accommodating these soldiers, and discussions are ongoing to potentially increase the number of soldiers treated annually in Latvia from 150 to 200.
Russian aggression has heavily targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which Latvia is also assisting in rebuilding. Companies like Latvenergo and Rīgas Siltums are repurposing Soviet-era equipment and directing new equipment purchases to support Ukrainian energy providers, in particular in the northern Chernihiv region, which has been suffering from Russian bombardments.
This multifaceted support from Latvia not only highlights the country’s commitment to Ukraine’s immediate defense needs but also addresses long-term stability and recovery, showing a comprehensive approach to backing Ukraine amidst the ongoing defense war against Russia.
