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On 9 February 2026, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Artjoms Uršuļskis, took part in a videoconference discussion on the EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034, exchanging views and coordinated cooperation approaches with the group of like-minded countries, also known as the Friends of Cohesion.
The discussion focused on the total size of the EU Multiannual Financial Framework and the allocation of funding by thematic priority. Parliamentary Secretary Artjoms Uršuļskis stressed that Latvia remains committed to advocating an ambitious MFF that ensures adequate funding for both security and defence, as well as for traditional EU policies such as cohesion and agriculture. Artjoms Uršuļskis highlighted in particular the need to allocate additional EU funding to countries and regions along the EU eastern border, including Latvia. The present European Commission proposal does not sufficiently address the challenges faced by the region’s countries due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. It also fails to provide the necessary support under the Cohesion Policy to bring Member States closer to the EU average level of development, and does not provide fair rules for our farmers with regard to direct payments.
The Friends of Cohesion group comprises EU Member States that strongly advocate the role of the Cohesion Policy in the EU Multiannual Financial Framework negotiations. Currently, Bulgaria, Czechia, Greece, Croatia, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Hungary have joined the Friends of Cohesion group alongside Latvia.
Further information on EU Multiannual Financial Framework (in Latvian)