On Thursday, 24 April 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, met with Laura Skrodele, Director of the Entrepreneurs for Peace foundation, Ulvis Noviks, founder of the Your Friends association, and Chaplain Elmārs Pļaviņš, senior expert on international military and religious cooperation at the National Armed Forces. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss current cooperation and project coordination, including between ministries and organizations representing interests, current reconstruction projects in Ukraine, and long-term plans for rebuilding of Ukraine.
Baiba Braže:
“Russia’s massive missile and combat drone attack on Ukrainian civilians on the night of 24 April is yet another proof that the Kremlin butcher’s goals have not changed – there is no indication that Russia wants peace. It is only by force that Russia can be compelled to stop.
We must continue supporting Ukraine in every possible way – military, financial, political, and humanitarian. We must seek legal solutions to direct all the immobilized assets by the Russian Central Bank towards support for and reconstruction of Ukraine – no one else, except Russia, must pay for what it has inflicted on the Ukrainian people and state.
I am grateful for, and highly appreciate the work by Entrepreneurs for Peace and Your Friends on rebuilding of Ukraine and their commitment to continue what they have commenced. The work accomplished and experience gained by both the organizations are unique, considering that the reconstruction effort is taking place under specific wartime conditions. We discussed concrete proposals for further cooperation, including to promote the engagement of Latvian businesses in reconstruction projects in Ukraine.”
Further information
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been cooperating with Entrepreneurs for Peace since autumn 2022 and with Your Friends, since 2024.
- Since 2024, reconstruction projects have been administered by the Central Finance and Contracts Agency (CFCA) in close cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of Latvia in Ukraine, and project implementers.
- Projects in 2024: The Entrepreneurs for Peace foundation is carrying out the renovation of the Chernihiv Regional Children’s Hospital and the Chernihiv Polytechnic National University, as well as performing engineering works and purchasing furniture for houses built with Latvian support in 2023 in the village of Yahidne. Construction works have begun, and are to be completed by this coming September (EUR 1.2 million). The Tavi Draugi association is renovating the Novobykivsk Secondary School and the Chernihiv Regional Primary Health Care and Social Care Centre. Construction works on the facilities have begun, and are expected to be completed by this coming September (EUR 1.19 million).
- Projects in 2025: On February 4, the Government allocated EUR 5.7 million towards reconstruction and support measures in Ukraine in 2025. EUR 2.7 million have been allocated to Entrepreneurs for Peace and Your Friends for the renovation of social infrastructure facilities in the Chernihiv region, and EUR 1.5 million, towards a grant competition for the renovation of social infrastructure facilities in the Chernihiv region.
- Chernihiv is one of the oldest cities in Ukraine. The Chernihiv Oblast borders both Russia and Belarus. The region was under occupation until the Russian troops were forced to retreat on 4 April 2022. While besieged, the city was constantly subjected to missile and artillery strikes.
- The list of potential reconstruction sites for both 2024 and 2025 was presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Chernihiv Regional Administration, supported by the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine. The list of sites includes several educational institutions, healthcare facilities and a library. Under the Agreement between Latvia and Ukraine on long-term support and security commitments, Latvia is focusing on the reconstruction of social infrastructure sites (hospitals and educational institutions), psychological support to women, and the transfer of expertise, especially on matters related to EU integration.
