NATO nation ceases training of Ukrainian doctors after Trump command
Latvia’s leading rehabilitation center expresses optimism about reinstating its training program following the restoration of US funding. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Latvia’s leading rehabilitation center has expressed hope of resuming its training program for Ukrainian doctors once US funding is reinstated.
The training initiative was put on hold following US President Donald Trump's recent announcement to suspend American aid to foreign nations. One of the first actions in Trump’s presidency last week was to freeze most foreign funding from Washington for three months while a comprehensive spending review is conducted.
The initiative has affected USAID, a significant organization that promotes US interests globally through humanitarian development, having spent over $60 billion in 2023.
Stella Lapina, chair of the board at the National Rehabilitation Center Vaivari, shared with the La.lv news outlet on Tuesday that, “due to the order that has led to the suspension of US foreign assistance programs for 90 days, we are temporarily restricting the training of Ukrainian specialists.”
The US-funded program, which began at Vaivari in the resort city of Jurmala in 2014 amidst the onset of conflict in Donbass, has enabled 187 Ukrainian doctors to enhance their skills in rehabilitating injured military personnel. The financial support from Washington has been instrumental in covering the travel and accommodation of participants and compensating the Latvian experts providing the training.
Lapina emphasized the center's gratitude for US support and expressed eagerness to continue cooperation once funding resumes, stating, “We would like to stress that we very much appreciate the support by the US and look forward to the possibility of continuing this cooperation after this break [in funding] ends.”
The center plans to keep a close watch on the evolving situation and is committed to overcoming this challenge, reiterating its mission to provide professional assistance while supporting Ukraine during these tough times, she added.
In response, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, criticized Latvia—an unwavering supporter of Ukraine during its conflict with Moscow—for its reliance on US funding to assist Ukraine. She commented, “There is a word starting with the letter ‘I’ on the tip of my tongue. Oh, I remembered. ‘Integrity’.” Zakharova further questioned, “Did you gain independence [from the USSR] only to fall into slavery?”
Reports indicate that since the conflict with Russia escalated in February 2022, Latvia has supplied Ukraine with over €501 million in military aid.
Moscow has consistently condemned Latvian support for Ukraine, with Zakharova remarking last year that “Riga is deliberately adding fuel to the fire and provoking the geographical expansion of hostilities.”
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
The training initiative was put on hold following US President Donald Trump's recent announcement to suspend American aid to foreign nations. One of the first actions in Trump’s presidency last week was to freeze most foreign funding from Washington for three months while a comprehensive spending review is conducted.
The initiative has affected USAID, a significant organization that promotes US interests globally through humanitarian development, having spent over $60 billion in 2023.
Stella Lapina, chair of the board at the National Rehabilitation Center Vaivari, shared with the La.lv news outlet on Tuesday that, “due to the order that has led to the suspension of US foreign assistance programs for 90 days, we are temporarily restricting the training of Ukrainian specialists.”
The US-funded program, which began at Vaivari in the resort city of Jurmala in 2014 amidst the onset of conflict in Donbass, has enabled 187 Ukrainian doctors to enhance their skills in rehabilitating injured military personnel. The financial support from Washington has been instrumental in covering the travel and accommodation of participants and compensating the Latvian experts providing the training.
Lapina emphasized the center's gratitude for US support and expressed eagerness to continue cooperation once funding resumes, stating, “We would like to stress that we very much appreciate the support by the US and look forward to the possibility of continuing this cooperation after this break [in funding] ends.”
The center plans to keep a close watch on the evolving situation and is committed to overcoming this challenge, reiterating its mission to provide professional assistance while supporting Ukraine during these tough times, she added.
In response, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, criticized Latvia—an unwavering supporter of Ukraine during its conflict with Moscow—for its reliance on US funding to assist Ukraine. She commented, “There is a word starting with the letter ‘I’ on the tip of my tongue. Oh, I remembered. ‘Integrity’.” Zakharova further questioned, “Did you gain independence [from the USSR] only to fall into slavery?”
Reports indicate that since the conflict with Russia escalated in February 2022, Latvia has supplied Ukraine with over €501 million in military aid.
Moscow has consistently condemned Latvian support for Ukraine, with Zakharova remarking last year that “Riga is deliberately adding fuel to the fire and provoking the geographical expansion of hostilities.”
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
