The head of Latvia's Foreign Ministry is confident that Russia "is not interested in peace and is the most serious threat to the security of the transatlantic space."
Foreign Minister Baiba Braže received the UK Minister of State for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, who arrived in Latvia for a working visit. The ministers discussed issues of security in the Euro-Atlantic space and transatlantic relations, support for Ukraine's defense capabilities and limiting Russia, cooperation on a bilateral basis and NATO, transatlantic relations, and deepening EU and UK relations. Braže and Doughty also discussed the cooperation between Latvia and the United Kingdom in the UN Security Council - the UK has one permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Braže emphasized that this month we celebrate 105 years since the de iure international recognition of Latvia. On January 26, 1921, the Supreme Council of the Allied States, including the United Kingdom, recognized the Latvian state de iure. The United Kingdom has never recognized the occupation of Latvia by the Soviet Union.
Foreign Minister Baiba Braže: "The United Kingdom has always been a friend of Latvia and one of our closest allies in the fields of security and defense. We have excellent cooperation in NATO, both regionally and bilaterally, as well as in support of Ukraine - both in coordinating sanctions against Russia, particularly the 'shadow fleet' and its ecosystem, and in jointly managing the drone coalition. Latvia contributed 20 million euros to the drone coalition last year and plans to provide 50 million euros in support this year.
I thank the United Kingdom for its significant contribution to the security of the Baltic Sea, the Northern region, and NATO's eastern flank, especially the presence of military personnel in our region - the multinational brigade in Estonia, the 'Eastern Watch' in Poland, regular participation in the Baltic airspace patrol mission, as well as leading the NATO Response Force (NRF) and the Coalition of the Willing (CoW).
We are united in our opinion - all allies must continue to support Ukraine and its defense capabilities, and it is necessary to maximize global pressure on Russia. It is not interested in peace and is the most serious threat to the security of the transatlantic space. Russia's goal is to divide allies and weaken support for Ukraine. Our common priority is to achieve long-term peace in Ukraine.
