Poland and Latvia with one voice in Warsaw. “Poland's security is Ukraine's security”

Polish-Latvian cooperation in the EU in the field of security and defense, increasing the capabilities of the arms industry and aid for Ukraine – were the topics of the Monday meeting in Warsaw between the Speaker of the Sejm, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, and the Speaker of the Latvian Parliament, Daiga Mierina.

The Chancellery of the Sejm informed that security challenges were discussed first, and Czarzasty and Mierina emphasized support for Ukraine, which is fighting Russian aggression.

– We are helping Ukraine and we believe that Poland's security is Ukraine's security. I also believe that the security of Latvia is the security of Ukraine. You are as close to the threat as we are, said Czarzasty, quoted in a message published on Monday on the Sejm website.

The Speaker of the Sejm recalled the scale of support for Ukraine from Poland, humanitarian aid, social solidarity, the acceptance of millions of Ukrainian citizens (including a significant number of children), and the transfer of thousands of power generators and heaters in response to Russian attacks on the energy infrastructure. Moreover, he emphasized that 90 percent arms for Ukraine goes through Poland, mainly through the logistics hub.

Czarzasty emphasized that it is important to further raise awareness of Western and Southern European countries about the threat to Europe from Russia and the need for solidarity with the countries of NATO's eastern flank, such as Poland and Latvia. – We want to remind all countries that they must be strong, well-armed and that they must cooperate in the context of their own security, he said.

Daiga Mierina expressed the same position on the issue of assistance to Ukraine. – We help within our capabilities – said the speaker of the Latvian Parliament, quoted in the statement. She recalled that Latvia allocates 0.25 percent. GDP to help Ukraine. She emphasized that she considers the greatest support to be the fact that Poland and Latvia are “the loudest voice in Europe” that raises the Ukrainian issue at the diplomatic level. Merina also noted that both countries recall that Russia is a “long-term threat to all of us.”

The Chairwoman of the Saeima – the unicameral Latvian parliament – also expressed gratitude for the presence of Polish soldiers in the multinational battalion in Latvia, where, among others, support deterrence and monitoring activities on NATO's eastern flank.

The interlocutors also emphasized that “both Poland and Latvia are among the leading NATO countries in terms of defense spending in relation to GDP” and agreed that European countries “should focus on equipment produced in Europe.”

The Speaker of the Sejm and the Speaker of the Latvian Parliament also discussed the status of implementation of key investments in the region and Europe, also from the point of view of security, i.e. Via Baltica and Rail Baltica. The topics of the meeting – as stated in the press release – also included important issues from the perspective of the Polish minority in Latvia. (PAP)

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