The Ministers of Culture of Ukraine, Latvia, Poland, Lithuania and Estonia, with the participation of a UNESCO representative, initiated strengthening support for the cultural heritage of Ukraine through special financial instruments and the creation of the International Fund for the Protection of Ukraine's Cultural Heritage, Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko said.

"Together with our close partners, Ministers of Culture of Latvia Nauris Puntulis, Poland Piotr Gliński, Lithuania Simonas Kairys, Estonia Heidy Purga and UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone held a meeting dedicated to the preservation of cultural heritage in Ukraine," he wrote on the Telegram channel on Sunday.

According to Tkachenko, the participants of the meeting signed a joint declaration, which recorded the need and initiative to create two financial instruments to support the cultural heritage of Ukraine - to call on the European Commission and the member states of the European Union to strengthen their commitment to support Ukraine through special financial instruments at the EU level and initiate the creation of International Fund for the Protection of Ukraine's Cultural Heritage.

"Ukrainian intangible heritage is under threat due to the Russian invasion. And I am grateful to our friends for their constant support. For understanding that the preservation of the cultural heritage of Ukraine needs the support of all partner countries. Only together can we overcome the enemy and build our common future," Tkachenko summed up.