Latvia Parliament calls Russia a state sponsor of terrorism

BERLIN (AP) — 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 demoralize the Ukrainian people and armed forces and paralyze the functioning of the state.” The statement says Latvia’s Parliament “recognizes Russia’s violence against civilians in pursuit of political aims as terrorism” and “recognizes Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.” It says Russian forces are deliberately targeting Ukrainian civilians. Sixty-seven lawmakers in the 100-seat assembly voted in favor of adopting the statement and 16 abstained.