Two following months will be critical for Ukraine - Latvian defense minister

RIGA - The two following months will be critical for Ukraine as it continues to fight off Russia's military attacks, which is why the West must provide the Ukrainians with all the assistance they need, Latvian Defense Minister Inara Murniece (National Alliance) said at a news conference Monday. 

Last week Murniece made a working visit to Ukraine where she met with Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov in Kyiv. That visit was followed by participation in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, the so-called Ramstein meeting on Western military assistance to Ukraine. 

"Both in the conversation with Minister Reznikov and at the Rammstein meeting, the overall assessment of the situation was that the Ukrainians have two months - the critical time they have to use to move forward, which means that military deliveries to the Ukrainian armed forces are critical," the minister said. 

Russia is currently deploying a large number of troops and military equipment at the Ukrainian border and in the occupied territories inside Ukraine, according to information shared in meetings with Ukrainian military officials and at the Rammstein meeting. Considering this, the West must provide all necessary assistance and do everything possible to ensure Ukraine is successful in its war of defense, the Latvian minister emphasized. 

At the Rammstein meeting, most minister agreed that each day is decisive and that the Western military deliveries must not be delayed. "I hope that there will be a relevant reaction, but the overall atmosphere was that of understanding," Murniece said.

As reported, the eighth meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group met in Rammstein, Germany, last Friday. After the meeting, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that the results of the talks confirmed all participants' commitment to stand up to Russia's aggression and continue to help Ukraine. Germany, however, refused to pledge its Leopard tanks to Ukraine.