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On 26 November 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, while on a visit in Chernihiv, Ukraine, opened the reconstructed pediatric facilities of the district hospital and the Ukrainian Ombudsman’s Human Rights Protection Centre. Both buildings were reconstructed with financial support from the Latvian state in the amount of 612,075 euros.
In Chernihiv, the Foreign Minister met with children who, thanks to Ziedot.lv charity organization, had participated in summer camps in Latvia.
Baiba Braže emphasized that Latvia and Latvian people have been providing all possible support to Ukraine since the first day of the war, and will continue to provide all kinds of support to Ukraine, and she confirmed that assistance will invariably continue.
Foreign Minister Baiba Braže:
“I’ve begun my visit to Ukraine in Chernihiv – one of the oldest cities in Ukraine, which suffered heavily from Russian attacks in the first days of the war. It is a great satisfaction to be here to open the reconstructed pediatric block of the Chernihiv hospital, where doctors will be able to continue saving children’s lives and treating them. Reconstruction of social infrastructure facilities is our priority so that the basic needs of the local population can be met – medical care, education, among other things. This is also a direct contribution to strengthening resilience among Ukrainians.”
While in Chernihiv, the Foreign Minister also opened the regional Human Rights Protection Center of the Ukrainian Ombudsman, reconstructed with Latvian funds. It will provide effective support to the region’s population, including documentation of war crimes, support for civic initiatives, and broad ombudsman functions. “Latvia will support all efforts by the Human Rights Protection Center to document evidence of war crimes and hold Russia accountable for its crime of aggression against Ukraine. Latvia knows from its historical experience how important it is to hold Russia accountable for the crime of aggression in order to ensure future peace and security – not only in Ukraine,” Baiba Braže noted.
Baiba Braže also met with the Governor of the Chernihiv Oblast, Vyacheslav Chaus, and the Ombudsman of Ukraine, Dmytro Lubinets, for a discussion Ukraine’s urgent needs and priorities. The officials thanked Latvia for its assistance and support: since 2022, two schools, two kindergartens, two hospital facilities, and two psychological support centers for women have been reconstructed in Chernihiv with support from Latvia. More than 20 other reconstruction and development cooperation projects are currently being implemented across Ukraine with Latvia’s support.
Baiba Braže thanked the Central Finance and Contracts Agency (CFCA) of Latvia and the Tavi draugi (Your Friends) association for the implementation of the hospital block reconstruction project (by investing 512,075 euros, major internal and external repairs have been carried out, the facade insulated, the porch with a ramp repaired, and the area around the building upgraded); and the CFCA with the MARTA Centre – for the reconstruction project of the Human Rights Protection Centre (100,000 euros allocated by the Latvian state).
Further information:
- In September 2022, the Latvian Government agreed on Chernihiv as a priority reconstruction region for Latvia. Close cooperation – economic ties, city twinning, bilateral visits – had already been established before the war. In addition to reconstruction, Latvia also supports the capacity building among the regional administration, and European integration, in which local authorities will have an important role to play. The reconstruction priorities in Chernihiv region comprise social infrastructure and housing, rehabilitation and psychological support, as well as integration into the EU.
- Chernihiv region borders both Russia and Belarus, and following the occupation, the Russian army retreated from the region on 4 April 2022. The city was under siege and constantly exposed to missile strikes and artillery shelling.
- As part of the Agreement between Latvia and Ukraine on long-term support and security commitments signed on 11 April 2024, Latvia has committed to allocating 15 million euros for the implementation of reconstruction projects from 2024 to 2026. Priority projects – to restore social infrastructure facilities, provide psychological support to women, share experience and transfer expertise, especially on issues related to EU integration.