Latvia will transfer its entire fleet of helicopters to Ukraine as an addition to the military aid, which constitutes over 1% of its GDP.
Source: Ukraine Reconstruction Conference in London.
Latvia has already transferred all its Stingers to Ukraine and is now transferring helicopters
Prime Minister of Latvia, Krišjānis Kariņš, stated at the international conference on Ukraine’s reconstruction in London that ‘Latvia has never had any illusions about Russia.’ That is why, when Russia was increasing its military presence near the Ukrainian border, the decision to send Stinger MANPADS to Ukraine was made in November-December 2021.
After Lithuania received approval from the United States, American Stingers arrived in Ukraine just one day before the full-scale invasion, and fortunately, they became part of the decision to prevent the Russians from capturing the airport, which was part of their initial plan.
“Since then, our government has allocated over 1.3% of our GDP for various types of aid to Ukraine, with over 1% specifically designated for military needs. Therefore, all of our Stinger missiles are currently in Ukraine. We have a fleet of helicopters, and all of these helicopters are currently being repainted to be operational and presentable, and we are sending them to Ukraine,” stated Kariņš.
Additionally, Latvia will continue to train Ukrainian military personnel and provide ammunition and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).
Latvia will continue its assistance to Ukraine
Furthermore, according to the Latvian Minister, the government of the country, along with civil society, is providing swift and effective humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine.
“So as a nation, we understand the Ukrainians. Because what are they fighting for? They are fighting for many things, but you can boil it down to three values: freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. We all talk about these things all the time. We all consider ourselves fighters for freedom. But, my friends, Ukrainians are freedom fighters, and we are now the ones supporting freedom,” he said.
The politician added that support for Ukraine should be increased and Ukraine should be fully integrated into the EU and NATO.