Ukraine needs four things to fight and win this war – ammunition, sanctions, funding and European integration – said Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmihhal in an exclusive conversation with Latvian Television, who also thanked Latvia for its support and assistance.
He went to Washington to meet with allies and supporters to receive confirmation that Ukraine will also have money to help its people – both those who have fled the refugees and are suffering in the heaviest fighting areas, lsm.lv reports.
Latvian Television met Schmihhal at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington during a busy meeting schedule. They are scheduled to meet with as many Ukrainian supporters as possible in the US capital.
“First of all, I would like to thank myself and all the people of Ukraine for the whole of Latvia – for stable and strong support! We have active communication and co-operation with Latvia, and Latvia supports us – sends humanitarian, technical and defense support. We have very close co-operation between our defense “and I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the people of Latvia and the Government and President of Latvia,” said the Prime Minister.
Support for Ukraine is, and will be, needed for a long time, because the war has caused enormous losses to the country, but there is still a lot of need to win it.
Schmihal explained: “Now Ukraine’s struggle and victory against the Russian aggressor requires four main things: firstly, we need armaments to defend freedom, democracy in our country and on Europe’s borders. Secondly, sanctions are needed because they make Russia weaker and do not give funds in its budget to kill the people of Ukraine and to fund these simply insane crimes and atrocities, such as those committed in Bucca, Irpina and other cities in the Kiev region that have emerged since we pushed the Russian army away from the Kiev region. funding is needed, and today in Washington we have discussions with all the finance ministers of the civilized world, with the international financial organizations, with the President of the United States, Joe Biden, with the Office of the Secretary of State, with the presidential administration and beyond, we hear support at all levels. “
The war, according to the Prime Minister of Ukraine, has brought Ukraine challenges that the country has not even imagined before.
“We need this funding because we have completely different challenges in our country – humanitarian, social, we have forced refugees internally and in other countries, we have more than 4.7 million refugees in Europe and other countries. We thank Latvia again. , which welcomes our people, because they are mostly women and children fleeing war and suffering from these crimes, and we greatly appreciate that support, “he said.
Schmihal said there were still about seven million homeless people in the country who were suffering and needed to be supported in their own country.
He added: “And there is another very important thing – there are people who are suffering in Ukraine in the areas under fire, where there are big battles, in areas very close to the front lines, and there are at least 10 million more people who are suffering. and which we need to support and protect, bring them food, water and sometimes cash so that they can survive, because there is no work, no electricity, no water, and we also have to support them from our budgets. “Because these are completely new challenges we face because of the war. We wouldn’t have them in a normal life.”
And joining the European Union is also something that Ukraine wants to support here and elsewhere.
“And the fourth thing I have to mention is integration into the European Union, our perspective on the future of the European Union. Because many Ukrainians are now dying, giving their lives for the future of Ukraine and Europe.
And in this respect, we are once again very grateful to all the Baltic States, because you support us very much on our way to the European Union.
And our country, the Ukrainians, who more than 96 percent support joining the European Union, hope that in the near future – in May, maybe in July, we will have the status of a candidate country, and it will be a very clear European perspective for my country! “Said the Prime Minister of Ukraine.
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