“We must learn from history and face aggression with decisiveness and strength, and, as a democratic organisation, we must use every opportunity to hold Russia fully accountable for its crimes of aggression against Ukraine,” said Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, Head of the Latvian delegation, at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe held in The Hague, the Netherlands.

“Today, a new iron curtain has descended between Russia and the free world, but the entire world knows that the purest iron curtain can be found in Ukraine. It is made of blooded and battle tested iron. It is forged from steel hardened in battles. It is a steel barrier that protects the world from a predatory, wild beast. Our duty, our responsibility, is to provide support for Ukraine as strong as steel. In Latvia and internationally. In words and in deeds. Morally and practically," said the Speaker of the Saeima, Edvards Smiltēns, on Friday, February 24, at the extraordinary sitting of the Saeima, marking one year since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“Tyranny and terror must fail. Peace and freedom must prevail. The victory of Ukraine is the only way to restore peace in Europe. We stand with Ukraine,” stated the speakers of the Parliaments of the Baltic States and Poland in a joint declaration issued on Friday, 24 February, one year since Russia’s full scale military invasion in Ukraine.

On Thursday, 23 February, the Saeima adopted a statement on the anniversary of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, reiterating its strongest condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the Parliament’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. In the Statement, the MPs demand that Russia immediately ceases all military activities in Ukraine and withdraws all forces and military equipment from all internationally recognised territory of Ukraine without any conditions.

On Wednesday, 22 February, in London, Members of the Saeima met with Nigel Evans, Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, to discuss Latvian-UK security cooperation, as well as the political, financial, and military support for Ukraine provided by the two countries. The Saeima delegation is currently on a visit to the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to strengthen bilateral relations.

Members of the Latvian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA)—Head Raimonds Bergmanis, Deputy Head Ainars Latkovskis, and Permanent Representative Irma Kalniņa—are in Brussels until 22 February to discuss current security issues with parliamentarians from NATO countries.

"This year has been a great challenge for us, and it has brought our nation together, but for Ukrainians it has been immeasurably harder and more difficult. Now is the right moment to say thank you to our friends, but also to realise that our friendship needs to be strengthened further and we need to help Ukrainians even more," said Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, at an award ceremony on Monday, 20 February, presenting Saeima certificates of appreciation to representatives of civil society and organisations for their support to the Ukrainian people.

"Latvia is providing comprehensive assistance to Ukraine and there is strong, unwavering support in society, including on a practical level. Latvia will support Ukraine until its absolute victory. Russia must be held accountable for these bloody atrocities. The guilty must be punished. It is a question of whether the world will be governed by the power of law or the law of power," said Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, meeting Olena Kondratiuk, Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine on Monday, 20 February.

“A true democracy cannot be realised without the representation of the people and without the parliament — a place where different people, ideas, beliefs meet. A place, where people may come and go, but fundamental continuity and absolute balance of power are ensured," said the Speaker of the Saeima Edvards Smiltēns at the ceremonial opening  of the second  supplemented edition of a book by Gunārs Kusiņš “Parliamentarianism in Latvia: An Overview” on Thursday, February 16, in the Saeima.

On Thursday, 16 February, the Saeima in the second reading supported the draft Law on the National Defence Service and the related draft laws, which provide for the establishment of the National Defence Service. The first conscription to the National Defence Service is planned on July 1, this year.