Latvia will allocate 15 million euros to strengthen Ukrainian capabilities in the field of drones and innovative technologies in the defense sector in 2026. This was agreed upon by the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Latvia, Andrei Sibiga and Baiba Brazhe, at a meeting in Kyiv on November 27, where the further expansion of defense cooperation between the two countries was discussed.
The text of the statement was published by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
During the negotiations, Sibiga informed his Latvian colleague about the latest American proposals to achieve peace and the progress of the negotiation teams. The minister emphasized the importance of the European role in peace initiatives and noted that Ukraine “is using every opportunity to find ways to end the war.”
In addition, Sibiga called for the speedy adoption of the 20th package of EU sanctions and a decision on the reparation loan, which will allow the use of frozen Russian assets.
Ministers agreed on joint efforts of the Baltic countries at the EU level “to counteract Russia’s shadow tanker fleet.” “The Baltic Sea should not contribute to Russia’s bloody oil profits,” the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry emphasized.
Sibiga and Braje discussed defense priorities for the next year, paying special attention to joint production of weapons and technology exchange. The Ukrainian minister thanked Latvia for its leadership in the “Drone Coalition”, within which Riga transferred 12 thousand drones to Kyiv in 2025, and noted plans to increase the pace of production and deliveries for 2026.
The parties also considered measures to support the Ukrainian energy system in winter. Ukraine expressed gratitude for Latvia’s additional contribution of 125 thousand euros to the restoration of energy infrastructure and stabilization of electricity supplies.
Sibiga particularly emphasized Latvia’s contribution to defense assistance, which annually amounts to 0.25% of Latvian GDP and in total has already exceeded 1.6% of GDP. The head of the foreign ministry also noted the transfer of Patria 6×6 armored personnel carriers, support for wounded Ukrainian military personnel, training of military personnel and financial assistance.
Diplomats discussed in detail Latvian projects for the restoration of the Chernihiv region, including the children’s medical building and the center for the protection of human rights that were opened the day before. The total volume of projects in the region this year reached 5.7 million euros.
An important part of the visit was the presentation of archival diplomatic documents from the period of the UPR and the Ukrainian State, found and prepared by the State Archival Service of Ukraine. the minister noted that these materials reflect the long history of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Latvia.