The President of Latvia welcomed the progress made by the Ukrainian government in implementing reforms, but at the same time, he pointed out that much should be still done, especially in areas such as judiciary, good governance, and anti-corruption.
“Latvia is open to cooperation in the areas which are essential for the long-term development of Ukraine and where Latvia has significant experience id est good governance, including anti-corruption, development of local governments, and adoption of EU standards for export promotion, especially in the agricultural sector,” stated Raimonds Vējonis. He stressed that close bilateral cooperation in various sectors has been developed between Latvia and Ukraine.
Both officials agreed that the natural gas supply project Nord Stream 2 contradicted the objectives of the European Union's Energy Policy and the interests of Ukraine.
The President of Latvia appreciated the EU Eastern Partnership Summit held in Brussels in November, expressing his hope that the measures approved there would promote a broader and deeper practical cooperation between the countries of the EU and the Eastern Partnership.
During the meeting, Raimonds Vējonis reiterated Latvia’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. “We follow a consistent policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea. Russia must demonstrate its initiative to de-escalate the conflict in eastern Ukraine to facilitate the implementation of the Minsk agreements,” highlighted the President of Latvia.
Taking into account the need to mitigate the threat caused by propaganda and misinformation, Raimonds Vējonis invited Ukraine to cooperate with the authorities specialising in the field that was located in Latvia: the NATO Strategic Communication Centre of Excellence and the Baltic Centre for Media Excellence.
