Baltic States – CIS, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Ukraine

Edgars Rinkevics and Pavlo Klimkin. Kyiv, 27.10.2015. Photo: flickr.com

Foreign Minister Rinkevics affirmed that Latvia has always backed Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and will be maintaining this stance in future. Our non-recognition policy concerning the illegal annexation of Crimea shall be unwavering, Edgars Rinkevics asserted.

The conversation touched on the security climate in the east of Ukraine and in the world. Edgars Rinkevics stressed that he was cautiously optimistic about the outcomes of the Normandy Summit and the relative truce in eastern Ukraine, since the situation remains volatile. Despite the developments in Syria and the refugee crisis in Europe, said the Minister, the EU must keep its focus on Ukraine. Every effort must be made to achieve lasting peace and stabilise the situation in the country. To this end, Latvia will keep the issue high on the EU agenda, until there is a complete resolution, the Foreign Minister said.

The Minister said he was certain that the principle underlying peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic space is the right of each country to choose its course in foreign policy. Russia’s targeting of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and the Russian Federation’s aggressive policy toward the West has changed the security environment in Europe. Actions along these lines by Russia have become the main factor driving a review of security policy for the Euro-Atlantic area.

Edgars Rinkevics also expressed support for Ukraine’s path towards integration with the EU and noted that the Eastern Partnership is an important instrument for closer integration of Ukraine with the EU. At this point, it is of crucial importance that the decisions of the Riga Summit are successfully put into practice with the focus on the implementation of the Association Agreement. In this context, I encourage Ukraine to continue focusing on the required reforms, and this includes introduction of legislative initiatives, said the Minister.

Referring to bilateral relations, Foreign Minister Rinkevics emphasised that as a major trade partner, Latvia is naturally interested in strengthening bilateral business cooperation, and Latvia is pleased with the constructive and active bilateral relations Latvia shares with Ukraine. We also wish to strengthen economic contacts and cooperation in the education sector. And Latvian and Ukrainian businessmen can launch closer cooperation in a wide range of areas such as pharmaceuticals, food industry, heavy engineering, transport and logistics, and electronic communications, Edgars Rinkevics accented.

Finally, Edgars Rinkevics took the opportunity to congratulate Ukraine on its election as a non-permanent member of the EU Security Council.