Latvia’s government is preparing a long-term support plan for Ukrainians living in the country beyond 2027, as authorities shift their focus from emergency assistance to lasting integration measures.
Under a decision approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on Tuesday, the Ministry of Culture will prepare and submit a new action plan covering 2027 and the years beyond, aimed at supporting the long-term integration of Ukrainian residents in Latvia.
The move follows a request from the Saeima’s Citizenship, Migration and Social Cohesion Committee, which called on the government to develop a coordinated and effective approach to help Ukrainians become fully integrated into Latvian society.
In its response, the Ministry of Culture highlighted work already carried out, including reviewing studies by international and non-governmental organisations on the situation, challenges and needs of Ukrainians in Latvia.
The ministry has also held discussions with the Ministry of the Interior and the Society Integration Foundation (SIF) to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the current coordination model and identify the most effective framework for planning, implementing and monitoring a long-term integration strategy.
In line with government tasks,
the ministry said it sees the need for a cross-sector, comprehensive integration strategy,
coordinated together with the Society Integration Foundation and involving not only state institutions but also municipalities and non-governmental organisations.
Since 1 June, the Ministry of Culture has officially taken over responsibility for coordinating the integration of Ukrainians in Latvia in close cooperation with the Society Integration Foundation.
Given the decentralised nature of the current support system, the ministry plans to convene all relevant government institutions to evaluate existing support measures and identify the data that will be used to prepare, implement and improve annual support plans.
The government’s response follows a letter sent by the parliamentary committee
after reviewing Latvia’s experience in receiving Ukrainian refugees since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
While the committee concluded that Latvia had provided rapid and well-coordinated assistance during the initial stages of the crisis, it also found that the country now faces growing challenges related to long-term integration and socio-economic inclusion.
Following the outbreak of the war, the Council of the European Union activated the Temporary Protection Directive, granting temporary protection to displaced people fleeing Ukraine.
Latvia implemented the directive through the Law on Support for Ukrainian Residents and adopted annual action plans providing accommodation, financial assistance, access to education for children, short-term language courses and employment support.
The government noted that these measures were designed as temporary crisis responses
and do not provide a long-term vision for integrating Ukrainians once temporary protection eventually ends.
After more than four years of war, the parliamentary committee said it has become increasingly clear that many Ukrainians are likely to remain in Latvia for the long term or permanently. As a result, it called on the government to review the current integration framework and develop a national policy defining the conditions for their long-term socio-economic inclusion and participation in Latvian society.
The committee also urged the government to prepare, by February 2026, an information report outlining Latvia’s long-term integration strategy, while ensuring that all ministries, government agencies, municipalities, Ukrainian diaspora organisations and NGOs representing Ukrainians are involved in developing the policy.
In addition, the committee noted that reliable data on the number of Ukrainians currently living in Latvia remains incomplete and asked the government to clarify which data sets are being used when calculating the funding required for future support measures.
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