To address the consequences of the armed conflict, Latvia has considerably increased humanitarian aid to Ukraine. In 2014, Ukraine was the largest recipient of humanitarian aid provided from the national budget - approx. 300,000 euros. Aid was offered both to purchase food and children’s goods, supply generators, help internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine and ensure medical treatment in Latvia for persons injured in Ukraine.
In 2015, Latvia contributed 161,278 euros in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Several Latvian local governments have also been involved in assisting Ukraine.
The call from the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments (LALRG) to Latvian municipalities to donate funds for Ukrainian health care institutions in cooperation with the Latvian Red Cross drew a response from about 60 municipalities in 2015 for the total amount of 26,000 euros, including the Jēkabpils City Council, which donated 1,500 euros to a hospital in Mirgorod and organized a summer camp for Ukrainian children.
The Jelgava City Council organized a week-long summer camp for 23 Ukrainian children and three accompanying teachers from crisis-affected families of Ivano-Frankivsk – the parents had been involved in the hostilities or the family forced to move. The Jelgava City Council has contributed 9,490 euros in assistance to Ukraine from 2014 to 2015.
- In July 2015, an allocation of 32,278 euros was made from state emergency funds for providing medical treatment in Latvia’s hospitals to 11 persons injured during protests in Ukraine and to cover the costs of the travel and lodging of the patients and persons in attendance.
- In January 2015, the Government supported the delivery to Ukraine of nine power generators and 4,000 blankets from the national emergency reserves. 103,000 euros from the emergency funds were allocated for the preparation and transportation of the humanitarian delivery and replenishment of the emergency reserves.
- In November 2014 the Latvian Government supported the initiative by the Foreign Ministry of making a contribution of 20,000 euros to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); this money was designated for assistance to internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ukraine.
- In October 2014, the Government supported the delivery to Ukraine of nine power generators from the national emergency reserves. 45,000 euros from the emergency funds were allocated for the preparation and transportation of the humanitarian delivery and replenishment of the emergency reserves.
- In September 2014, the Government contributed 30,000 euros from the emergency funds in assistance to Ukraine, thereby enabling medical treatment for 10 persons injured during the crisis in Ukraine.
- In August 2014, the Riga City Council allotted 110,000 euros to the Latvian Red Cross for the purchase of medicines and food (with children’s food being a priority) and its delivery to people in eastern Ukrainian who have suffered as the result of hostilities between Ukraine and Russia.
- In August 2014, the Latvian Ministry of Defence together with LATO (the Latvian Transatlantic Organisation) provided humanitarian aid to children of Ukrainian military personnel in Mikolayevka in the form of school supplies valued at 15,000 euros at the start the new school year.
- During 2014, medical treatment was provided in Latvia to people injured in the clashes in Ukraine. The Ministry of Health received 13,536 euros for medical supplies and treatment, and 1,775 euros were allocated to the Latvian Foreign Ministry for covering transportation costs.
- In February 2014, the Government decided to allocate 29,718 euros from emergency funds in medical assistance to persons injured in Ukrainian protests. The aid was delivered via the Latvian Red Cross.