Latvia's PM urges Europeans to give up one beer a year to help Ukraine
Latvia's prime minister has urged Europeans to sacrifice the equivalent of one beer a year to support Ukraine, arguing that a small financial cost for EU citizens could help save Ukrainian lives.
Speaking to reporters ahead of an EU summit in Brussels on October 15, the prime minister said Europe must prioritize Ukraine's security over individual comfort as the country faces another critical winter.
“Supporting Ukraine is still money. It is one beer less for one European a year. We can afford that. But Ukraine needs it now,” he said.
“That one beer is just a cost. There it's a cost of life. And we drink less, their lives are saved. Simple as that.”
The prime minister warned that Ukraine's ability to withstand the coming winter was directly linked to Europe's security.
“It's a vital winter for Ukraine. And if Ukraine keeps strong, also Europe keeps strong. If it's not strong, we have a huge issue,” he said.
He also called on European governments to think less about their own comfort and more about what would benefit Europe as a whole.
Earlier in his remarks, the prime minister criticized continued Russian grain transit through Baltic countries and urged the EU to enforce sanctions more effectively, arguing that European support for Ukraine was being undermined by economic activity that continued to benefit Russia.
He also called for tougher restrictions on Russian nationals entering Europe and warned that components from foreign companies were still reaching Russian missile manufacturers.
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