Latvia calls for the mobilization of international resources for the safe shelter of Ukrainian people in winter / Article

The Ministry informed that Kalniņa-Lukaševica participated in a seminar on crisis management models, strengthening of EU institutions and problematic issues raised by citizens. Taking into account the ongoing challenges caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic, the participants discussed how to strengthen European institutions in order to promote their resilience and security in the face of current and future crises.

Addressing the audience, the parliamentary secretary emphasized the importance of further assistance to Ukraine:

“Ukraine will lack access to safe and warm places to live in the winter.

The number of internally displaced persons in need of asylum is increasing. Many homes have been damaged by Russian attacks. There is an urgent need to mobilize additional international resources so that people in Ukraine are not left without winter-safe shelter in winter. The currently available international support and funding in this area is very insufficient.”

Kalniņa-Lukaševica also drew attention to the scale of the humanitarian crisis caused by Russia. The number of people who need help in Ukraine has reached 18 million.

“Ukraine must win this war. We must provide Ukraine with all the necessary support – military, humanitarian, financial and political,” said the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She also called for additional sanctions against Russia and Belarus. “Russia wants to use gas and oil as weapons to undermine European unity and wants to weaken public and political support for imposing sanctions against Russia,” said Kalniņa-Lukaševica.

CONTEXT:

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to start invasion of Russian troops in Ukraine. Putin claimed that NATO was going to use Ukraine as a springboard for aggression against Russia, although there was no evidence for these claims. Ukraine believes that Putin’s real goal is to destroy Ukrainian statehood and bring the territory under Moscow’s control.

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has caused a general condemnation of the international communityagainst Russia more and more sanctions are introduced. Many western companies have decided to leave the Russian market.

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