08/24/2026
Ukrainian Independence Day celebration in LA today. Here are my remarks:
Remarks on the 35th Anniversary of Ukraine's Independence
Members of the Board of Directors of the Ukrainian Cultural Center, distinguished clergy, honored guests, and my fellow Eastern Europeans:
On behalf of the Latvian community of Los Angeles, the Ambassador of Latvia in Washington, D.C., and my wife, Dr. Deborah Ekstrom, I offer my warmest congratulations to the Ukrainian community on this very special occasion—the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's regained independence.
As Ukraine celebrates its independence, it is impossible not to think of the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of the Ukrainian people in defending it. Thousands of lives have been lost. Families have been separated, and homes and cities destroyed. Yet Ukraine continues to stand against a vastly larger aggressor with a resilience that has inspired the world.
Latvia knows something about what it means to live under Russian occupation. The Soviet Union occupied Latvia in 1940. That first year of Soviet rule came to be known as Baigais Gads—the Year of Terror. Arrests, murders, deportations, and the theft and destruction of property became the norm. When Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, the Soviet occupiers were driven out, but, to no one's surprise, life under the Germans was equally brutal—especially for our Jewish citizens.
Then, as the Soviet front advanced westward and Latvia was again swallowed up by the Red Army in 1944 and 1945, my parents, along with approximately 200,000 other Baltic refugees, fled to the West.
The memories of Soviet atrocities were so deeply etched into the minds of those refugees that they never truly disappeared.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the news and images on television brought those memories flooding back for my mother. She is now 100 years old and, thankfully, still doing well. But she could not bear to watch the coverage. She told me that it brought back too many terrible memories from her teenage years.
So she asked me to give her a synopsis of what was happening.
And she eagerly awaited the news of the Ukrainians fighting back so gallantly—but asked me to spare her the images of Russian troops and the suffering they were inflicting upon the civilian population.
Latvians understand, perhaps especially well, what is at stake. Ukraine and Latvia share remarkable similarities. Both of our nations first declared independence in the aftermath of the First World War. Ukraine lost its freedom again to Soviet occupation, while Latvia remained independent until the Second World War. Both of us ultimately regained our independence with the collapse of Soviet communism.
We are both nations living beside a powerful and historically aggressive neighbor. We both know that freedom can never be taken for granted. And we also know that a nation's identity is far more difficult to conquer than its territory.
Through occupations, deportations, repression, and attempts to suppress our languages and cultures, both Ukrainians and Latvians preserved who we are. We preserved our songs and dances, our poetry and literature, our traditions, our food, and—most importantly—our languages and our sense of nationhood.
Latvia today stands firmly with Ukraine. Despite being a small country, Latvia has provided substantial military, humanitarian, and civilian assistance and continues to commit significant resources to Ukraine's defense. Latvia helped initiate and, together with the United Kingdom, leads the international Drone Coalition, now involving 20 countries, and continues to provide equipment, training, and other military support to Ukraine.
And here in Los Angeles, support is also deeply personal. Our Latvian Lutheran pastor, Reverend Guna Reins, has led a “Prayer for Ukraine” gathering on Zoom every evening at 8:00 p.m. since the first day of the Russian invasion—a remarkable and continuing expression of solidarity and faith.
Tonight, as you celebrate 35 years of renewed independence, we celebrate with you. May Ukraine remain strong. May its culture continue to flourish. May its people know peace—but a peace built upon freedom, sovereignty, as members of the EU and NATO. Congratulations to the Ukrainian community of Los Angeles. Thank you for preserving your heritage and passing it on to future generations.
Long live a free Latvia. Long live a free Ukraine. Dievs Svēti Latviju! Slava Ukraini!
