"President Poroshenko warmly thanked Latvia for its rapid ratification of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and strong support for Ukraine," Rinkevics tweeted after talks in Kyiv.
The current conflict in Ukraine, with breakaway regions and widesread use of military force represented not a strategic dispute but a "clash of values" in 21st century Europe, Rinkevics said subsequently and called for " a clear strategy for the stabilization of the country" with "active support from the EU".
On July 14 at an extraordinary meeting of the Latvian parliament or Saeima, became one of the first EU member states to ratify the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine, along with similar support for Georgia and Moldova's desire to join the bloc.
In a later press release, Rinkevics said: "Ukraine’s struggle for the future and independence of its country is also Latvia’s struggle. At this critical moment, we stand together with the Ukrainian people.”
EU leaders are set to discuss the possibility of further sanctions against Russia at a summit meeting Wednesday in reaction to accusations that Russia is actively involved in the unrest in eastern Ukraine.
