Dear friends!
Latvians!
Ukrainians!
Ukrainians have been heroically resisting the Russian invaders for a whole year. We, Latvia, stand together with the people and country of Ukraine.
We delivered the first Stinger missiles on the eve of the war, on 23 February, with which Ukraine was able to defend Kyiv in the first days of the war.
In the early days of the war, this initiative 'Entrepreneurs for Peace' was also founded, which collected from citizens, entrepreneurs and companies what was most needed at the time. The first convoys were at the Ukrainian borders in the very first days.
This has been going on for a whole year.
We Latvians, together with the Estonians, are in the first place in helping Ukraine. We have donated 1% of our gross domestic product to Ukraine, which is the highest percentage in the world. Then other countries follow.
Why do we do it?
Because we know what the Russian occupation means. We know what deportations mean. Currently, Ukrainian people are being deported to Russia.
We are familiar with this. We do not want Ukrainians to experience this. We do not want anyone to experience this at all.
Therefore, we are the ones who convince the Western allies that Ukraine must win this war.
I see how Western public opinion has evolved.
At the beginning, humanitarian aid was sent.
Later, they started to think about a little military aid.
There were certain red lines that should not be crossed.
But all the red lines were crossed.
The West is sending Ukraine more and more weapons, more and more ammunition - what Ukraine needs to defend itself.
Two days ago in Warsaw, meeting with US President Joe Biden, where the presidents of NATO's Eastern flank countries were gathered, there was a clear signal from United States and the entire Western world that Ukraine will be given all the help it needs until Ukraine wins.
We are fully convinced, as every Ukrainian is convinced, that Ukraine will win.
I thank the "Entrepreneurs for Peace" initiative, every resident of Latvia who has done something for Ukraine - poured candles for trenches, donated money, sent clothes, generators, etc. Of course, also the legendary Twitter convoy, which, I would say, is the Latvian aid brand.
I thank everyone for being with the Ukrainians. Ukraine appreciates it very, very much.
The war will end, and we will help Ukraine to rebuild its country.
We will also help Ukraine to join the European Union, because it is quite clear that Ukraine must be in the European Union. Without it, the European Union is not complete. And the same applies to NATO.
Ukraine will win! All Latvia is for it, all the West is for it, and all honest and good people of the world are for it.
Glory to Ukraine!
Glory to the heroes!
