Ukraine and Latvia are working to further develop and strengthen trade and economic relations. During the meeting between Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and Prime Minister of Latvia Krisjanis Karins, the parties agreed to continue the work of the Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Latvian Commission on Economic, Industrial, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. The ninth meeting of the Commission will be held in the near future.
As Denys Shmyhal noted at the joint briefing following the meeting, Ukraine was interested in implementing the logistics routes development project both within the Commission and at the high political level.
“Ukraine is a part of the European TEN-T logistics route system. Our logistics corridors are marked on the EU’s indicative maps. This gives us the opportunity to work together with Latvia, other Baltic countries and Poland to develop new logistics routes and destinations. I am convinced that new logistics from north to south, from south to north is a prospect for multilateral cooperation and changes in logistics on the European continent,” the Prime Minister of Ukraine said.
Denys Shmyhal also thanked the Government of Latvia for its decision to participate in projects to restore the infrastructure of Chernihiv region and noted the assistance with energy equipment provided by Latvia in the most difficult times of the recent autumn and winter period.
The Head of Ukrainian Government also informed that Ukraine had already received military assistance from Latvia worth over EUR 300 million. He expressed gratitude for the approval of a new aid package that would bring this amount to EUR 370 million, or more than 1% of Latvia’s GDP.
The Latvian Prime Minister, for his part, emphasized that Ukraine’s accession to the EU should begin this year. According to him, it is only Ukraine’s membership in the European Union and NATO that will guarantee lasting peace and security throughout Europe. Krisjanis Karins also assured that the Government and people of Latvia would continue to fully support Ukraine. (Government portal/Business World Magazine)