United to win: Latvia sends its entire fleet of helicopters to Ukraine

Latvia has already provided Ukraine with military aid alone, amounting to more than 1% of its GDP, including the transfer of all available Stinger MANPADS, and is going to complete the transfer of all its helicopters.

Latvia's prime minister Krišjānis Kariņš said this at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London.

What is the problem?

Helicopters are a vital part of the Ukrainian aviation and defense forces. For more than a year since the beginning of the full-scale war by Russian troops, they have been performing missions near the front line and in the enemy's rear of the territory occupied by Russia, such as:

• evacuating the wounded,
• firing at the Russian invaders,
• rescuing soldiers of Mariupol, surrounded by the Russian military.

What is the solution?

Aside from available Stinger MANPADS, Latvia is going to complete the transfer of all its helicopters.

Since that time, our government has spent over 1.3% of our GDP on all kinds of aid to Ukraine, over 1% is military assistance alone. So all our Stinger missiles are now in Ukraine, Kariņš said.

How does it work?

We had a fleet of helicopters, all of those helicopters – the last ones are still being repainted so that they are usable and look good – are going to Ukraine, the minister noted

Latvia continues to train Ukrainian soldiers and provide ammunition and drones.

Both the government and civil society provide prompt 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 are all freedom fighters But, friends, Ukrainians are freedom fighters, and we are now freedom supporters, Kariņš stressed.

He pointed out the need to increase support for Ukraine, as well as to guarantee Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO.

Kariņš added that all frozen Russian assets must be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine, and he also emphasized the need to hold the Russian leadership accountable for all crimes committed.

So, united we will stand. We will stand with and behind Ukraine. And in the end, we will prevail. Slava Ukraini! the prime minister concluded his speech.