Laima Vaikule is a Soviet and Latvian pop singer and actress. She was born on March 31, 1954, in the town of Cēsis, Latvian SSR (USSR).
Laima Vaikule's stance on the war in Ukraine
Laima Vaikule publicly supports Ukraine in its stand against the aggressor state and has completely renounced all of her concerts in Russia.
Photo from Instagram laima_vaikule_official
On July 31, 2022, Laima Vaikule performed a concert in the Lithuanian resort town of Palanga where, alongside musician Jānis Stībelis, she unfurled the Ukrainian flag on stage, demonstrating her unequivocal support for Ukraine:
How could it be otherwise? What else could you expect from me? Latvia, I am a citizen of Latvia; our policy and our position are clear. After that video, everything was obvious. If I hadn't wanted to comment on anything, I would have kept quiet. I don't think there are people in Latvia who support the war.
When asked whether she would perform in Russia anytime soon, Vaikule replied:
Not for now. I don't even know how that could happen on an emotional level!
Photo: Laima Vaikule with the Ukrainian flag in support of Ukraine
In interviews, Vaikule consistently champions a pro-Ukrainian position and openly condemns the actions of the aggressor state.
Video: Laima Vaikule on her attitude toward the war in Ukraine, Russian colleagues, and her support for TV Rain (Dozhd)
Statements and quotes by Laima Vaikule about the war in Ukraine:
It feels to me like people have lost their minds. I see no other explanation. Do they really not understand that Ukraine was attacked? That's it, full stop. Making excuses, searching for reasons—because of NATO, because of fascists... Stop it. They attacked. They say: «Our soldiers are dying.» Ask yourselves why! Why are they dying? What are they doing in Ukraine? They won't die if you leave! Leave, nobody is waiting for you! Nobody wants you! Get out, you «rescuers.» They set out to rescue Russians, and because of that they bombed Kharkiv to rubble? What business is it of yours what we do in Ukraine, what people do in their own homes? What business of mine is what my neighbor does? I have no right to barge into my neighbor's house and complain, «I don't like your dogs running around, or your children making noise...
I will share my story with you. Today I called my musician who is in Kyiv. It was a dark room, a bomb shelter, and there were children with him. I offered him every kind of assistance, told him I would do anything for him, and he replied: «Laima, just smile, so that this remains in my memory.» No to war! No to death! Stop, I beg of you!
A horrific injustice. You realize you can do nothing, and you just want to scream. But that won't help anyone. For me, this is a terrible, unjust war. I cannot accept it. I cannot understand how it came to pass that people don't comprehend what is happening. To anyone who starts talking to me about this, I say: Don't get lost in the weeds. Who started the war? Putin started it. Nothing more needs to be said—he is to blame.
In Russia, people cannot say that Putin is wrong, that he made a mistake and committed a terrible deed. It seems to me there's nothing wrong with acknowledging that... After all, we criticize our own relatives... And in a large country, you should be able to say: Yes, I love my homeland, but my ruler acted wrongly.
"Shchedryk" performed by Vaikule
In November 2025, Laima Vaikule starred in a holiday commercial for the ATB supermarket chain, performing the traditional song "Shchedryk" in Ukrainian. The company emphasized that selecting the artist was a conscious decision—representing a symbol of friendship and mutual solidarity between the Ukrainian and Latvian peoples amid the war.
Celebrities on Laima Vaikule's stance
You cannot love both sides at the same time. You cannot sit on two chairs at once. Therefore, it's either one or the other.
Well, look at that, another fool has dropped her mask!!! Laima Vaikule unfurled the Ukrainian flag at a concert in Lithuania. And now: GOODBYE, AND GOOD RIDDANCE!
She called me in the very first days, and there was such... I felt a kind of fear, but also care—it was Laima Vaikule. She said: «Andryusha, come over. If you need any help at all...
Заспівала "Щедрик" для реклами АТБ, що присвячена латвійцям, які підтримують Україну