Latvia Parliament calls Russia a state sponsor of terrorism

Latvia's Parliament has declared Russia a “state sponsor of terrorism” for attacks on civilians during the war in Ukraine and has urged other countries to follow suit.

Lawmakers on Thursday adopted a strongly worded statement that accuses Moscow of using “suffering and intimidation as tools in its attempts to demoralise the Ukrainian people and armed forces and paralyse the functioning of the state.” The statement says Latvia's Parliament “recognizes Russia's violence against civilians in pursuit of political aims as terrorism, recognises Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and calls on other like-minded countries to express the same view.” It says Russian forces are deliberately targeting Ukrainian civilians in the war, including with attacks on a theater in Mariupol in March, a shopping mall in Kremenchuk in June and a residential area in Odesa in July.

Lawmakers also called on Western countries to reinforce sanctions on Russia and urged fellow members of the European Union to stop issuing tourist visas to citizens of Russia and Belarus.

Sixty-seven lawmakers in the 100-seat assembly voted in favour of adopting the statement and 16 abstained, the Parliament said.