Baiba Braže thanked those Latvian entrepreneurs who ceased cooperation with Russia.
In the Saeima today, as previously reported, debates on the 2026 budget project continued all day. Among the speakers was Foreign Minister Baiba Braže, who also touched upon the topic of sanctions under the conditional heading "Weakening Russia": "Weakening Russia. Let’s remember that over the past year, Russia has occupied less than 1 percent of Ukraine’s territory, and all those strategic goals that the Kremlin butcher tried to proclaim have not come to fruition. Russia is being systematically weakened both on the battlefield and through the sanctions of the European Union, the USA, and other international partners. Depriving Russia of money, technology, and international support are all our priorities. A weaker Russian military machine means a more secure Latvia.
Sanctions are working. And do not believe the disinformers who try to claim otherwise, especially the Russian sources. The military economy of Russia is stagnating, the budget deficit has doubled this year, and its reserves are shrinking. Revenues from energy resources have fallen by 20%. The Kremlin regime is shifting the military-economic burden onto households and making costs more unignorable. It is raising taxes, inflation remains high, and companies that account for about 24 percent of the revenues of the Russian budget, federal budget, are facing bankruptcy.
At the same time, our entrepreneurs and our sanction services... sanction oversight services continue close cooperation. And thanks to those entrepreneurs who have refused to cooperate with Russia and are not trying to circumvent the sanctions."
The minister is convinced that Latvia will soon become more prominent on the global stage: "For the first time in a historic vote, we have been elected to the UN Security Council and will begin our work there on January 1. This allows us to ensure international support for Ukraine, visibility on issues that are important to us, and to shed light on issues such as the condemnation of Russian aggression and its continuation. Moreover, this is an opportunity to highlight innovations and achievements created by Latvian entrepreneurs, researchers, and universities.
