EU must unblock €90 billion loan for Ukraine - Latvian Prime Minister Siliņa
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa has called on the European Union to overcome resistance from certain countries and adopt financial assistance for Ukraine as soon as possible.
As reported by Censor.NET citing Ukrinform, Siliņa made the statement before the start of the EU leaders’ meeting in Brussels on 19 March.
"I do not think we need to strongly adjust to those who do not want to fulfill what all leaders agreed on at the end of December, because Ukraine really needs these billions … and it was our decision. It is not only about Ukraine, it is for the benefit of Europe," the Latvian prime minister said. She added that she expects Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to fulfill the promise he made to European colleagues in December, despite his election campaign, which is directed against Ukraine and against Europe.
Position on financial support for Ukraine
Siliņa stated that Ukraine needs financial support both during the war and for further reconstruction after it ends.
She stressed that she would not want Europe to make decisions that would effectively benefit Russia, especially in the energy sector. In her view, the current geopolitical situation creates risks of increased dependence of Europe on Russian energy resources — gas and oil.
In this context, Siliņa noted that the situation with the Druzhba oil pipeline should be resolved through "bold political decisions" and strict coordination among European leaders to avoid a return to dependence on Russia.
"We really need greater self-sufficiency in Europe… More independence will give us more freedom for our decisions on how we will manage our future… If Europe becomes more self-sufficient in energy, which is currently the highest demand for any business, then this is a smart step," the politician said.
Energy security and Europe’s self-sufficiency
Europeans, she noted, are already paying a certain price for crises caused by Russia. Therefore, the bill should be put on the table for Russia, not Ukraine, the head of government emphasized.
She noted that European leaders have done significant work together with transatlantic partners, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and many other countries that are part of the "coalition of the willing," to weaken Russia’s ability to obtain financial resources for its war machine.
"Russia must not benefit from the war, because that would be a mistake… We must not forget that Russia is trying to get rid of sanctions. Russia must pay the price, not Ukraine," Siliņa stressed.
