Latvian president in Riga will meet with first lady of Ukraine

On 31 January, President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs will meet with Mrs Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, at the Riga Castle. The meeting will focus on supporting Ukraine and its people, the human rights situation in Ukraine, as well as the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported by Russia. After the meeting, a short tour of the Riga Castle will be arranged to present a Ukrainian-language audio guide to Ms Zelenska, announced the presidency.

On 1 February, President Rinkēvičs and First Lady of Ukraine Zelenska will together open the international conference Russia’s War on Children. The conference will discuss holding Russia accountable for its illegal and forced deportations of children from the temporarily occupied territories in Ukraine. It will also explore mechanisms for facilitating the return of the Ukrainian children deported by Russia.

The visit will also include a meeting with Prime Minister Evika Siliņa, representatives of Latvian non-governmental organisations providing support to Ukraine, representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora and Ukrainians who found refuge in Latvia. Additionally, during a scheduled visit to the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, a Ukrainian-language audio guide will be unveiled.