Western countries must help Ukraine function in winter conditions - Pabriks

RIGA - Ukraine must not have supply problems in winter conditions, and Western countries must supply Ukraine not only with weapons but also other things necessary for the country's normal functioning, Defense Minister Artis Pabriks (Development/For) told LETA, 

Pabriks on Wednesday attended a meeting of the Northern Group's defense ministers in Oslo on the provision of further assistance to Ukraine and the necessity to invest in an international fund for Ukraine. In this fund, money could be raised also from non-European countries. 

Further commenting on Western support for Ukraine, Pabriks noted the necessity to consider not only supplying weapons and military equipment to Ukraine but also things Ukraine needs to keep functioning as a state, because currently, for instance, the country is struggling with power supply problems. 

"It is essential for us to make sure the Ukrainian army is not freezing, is fed and able to fight, and that the soldiers can make it through the winter and remain better the Russian military. Ukraine must not have supply problems in winter conditions, we must see to it," the defense minister said, adding that most Northern Group countries are the most active supporters of Ukraine. 

Pabriks noted at the same time that although for Western countries providing support to Ukraine is a matter of political will, in recent decades the capacity of the military industry was not planned for warfare of this kind, and the West was unable to change the situation fast. 

That means that Latvia must use this time to develop its own military industry and keep in mind that at one point Russia will recover from its losses in Ukraine. 

The Northern Group is a forum for discussion on security and defense issues between representatives of the twelve participating countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.