On 6 June 2022 in Riga, the State Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, met with the Minister of State for Europe and Climate at the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, Anna Lührmann. During the meeting, the officials exchanged views on the war waged by Russia in Ukraine, and assistance provided by Germany to Ukraine. They also discussed topics high on the European Union agenda, such as energy, climate, and the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica underlined the need for further provision of support to Ukraine in every possible way, and she pointed out that, in the opinion of Latvia, Ukraine should be granted the status of candidate for membership of the European Union as soon as possible.
The Parliamentary secretary said that it was vital at this point for Europe to break free of dependence on Russia’s energy resources by means of diversifying energy sources and working on the development of renewable energy. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica also underlined in the conversation that the next round of sanctions must be prepared to curb Russia’s aggression.
In a discussion on the results of the Conference on the Future of Europe, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica and Anna Lührmann expressed satisfaction with people’s interest and involvement in the EU’s decision-making processes. the Parliamentary Secretary Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica noted that focus should be placed on a number of practical proposals which can be implemented in the near term and can improve the lives of European citizens. The conference has yielded proposals that offer concrete solutions to current challenges faced by Europeans, especially in the areas such as security, welfare and economic growth. Our task, the Parliamentary Secretary underlined, is to convert those ideas into specific policies promptly and efficiently through the use of the diverse tools and mechanisms already enshrined in EU Treaties.