On Monday, 3 February 2025 at 8:00 a.m., the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, will take part in an official event hosted by the Embassy of Ukraine, at which 100 Latvian drones will be handed over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the presence of the Ukrainian Ambassador to Latvia Anatolii Kutsevol. The event will also be attended by CEO of the charity organisation Ziedot.lv, Rūta Dimanta.
A project run by Ziedot.lv, “Drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces”, launched in May 2024, has raised EUR 127 thousand by now. The project was initiated by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the Ukrainian Embassy in Latvia. Foreign Minister Baiba Braže raised EUR 15 thousand as she ran her first half-marathon during Riga Marathon 2024.
Further information
- Another project, “Drones to Ukraine!” implemented by Ziedot.lv since May 2023, has raised over EUR 414 thousand euros in donations.
- Since February 2024, Latvia has been co-leading Drone Coalition alongside the UK, and 15 NATO members have joined it. The members of the coalition deliver drones to Ukraine while also developing allied UAV capabilities. So far, contributions of more than 500 million euros have been made under the Drone Coalition with the aim of supplying several thousand drones to the Ukrainian Armed Forces to counter Russian aggression. Last year, contributions of EUR 20 million were made to this initiative in Latvia; similar amounts are planned this year.
- Latvia’s security situation is closely linked to the Ukrainian fight for their independence, so since the first day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Latvian people have been providing comprehensive military, political, financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine.
- Over the next two years, Latvia has committed to provide Ukraine with military assistance amounting to 0.25% of GDP and EUR 15 million for reconstruction, as well as working in the Drone Coalition, making deliveries of military equipment and weapons, and training of troops.