Ukraine and Latvia sign security agreement
Source: president Volodymyr Zelensky
On April 11, in Vilnius, president Volodymyr Zelensky and the president of Latvia Edgars Rinkevics signed an agreement on security cooperation and long-term support.
According to the agreement, Latvia undertakes to help Ukraine in defense against Russian aggression as much as it takes.
This year, Latvia will provide military support in the amount of about 112 million euros and will provide defense assistance in the amount of 0.25% of its GDP every year.
Within the framework of the agreement, Latvia will also help with recovery and reconstruction, protection of critical infrastructure, demining, unmanned technologies and cyber security of Ukraine.
The document is valid for ten years and provides for the possibility of extending its validity by mutual agreement of the parties.
Ukraine has already concluded security agreements with Great Britain, Germany, France, Denmark, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, and Latvia.
Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.
The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.