Baltic States – CIS, EU – Baltic States, Integration, Latvia, Legislation, Ukraine

Ostap Semerak and Edgars Rinkevics. Photo: flickr.com

The Ministers highlighted the excellent relations between Latvia and Ukraine and confirmed their readiness to intensify cooperation.

The Ministers took stock of the current developments in Ukraine. Edgars Rinkevics reiterated Latvia's support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The Ministers discussed the course of reforms in Ukraine and possibilities for Latvia to give assistance. Edgars Rinkevics expressed support for Ukraine's efforts at completing the process of visa liberalisation as soon as possible and pointed out that the issue could be one of deliverables at the Riga Summit in 2015. Minister Rinkevics also outlined the significant role of the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement for deepening relations between Ukraine and the EU.

Ostap Semerak thanked Latvia for its unwavering and firm stance in supporting Ukraine, for humanitarian and expert assistance Latvia has been providing. He mentioned in particular a seminar on countering corruption for Ukrainian experts organised in association with the Riga Graduate School of Law. Ostap Semerak said that Latvia's experience with integration into the European Union will be of interest to Ukrainian experts. Edgars Rinkevics confirmed that Latvia will continue offering assistance to Ukraine and briefed the Ukrainian Minister about the projects planned in the field of European Studies and opportunities for Ukrainian students to participate.

Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics conveyed his condolences to the Ukrainian people as Ukraine commemorates the anniversary of the Holodomor, a tragedy that occurred in the 1930s, when the Soviet Union’s leadership, driven by absurd and irrational goals, doomed millions of innocent people to death from starvation. Minister Rinkevics wished Ukrainian people to have good stamina and to be steadfast in choosing Europe and choosing democracy.