Russia's attempts to return to a sphere of influence in Europe are unacceptable - Karins

  • 2022-01-20
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - Russia's attempts to return to the spheres of influence in Europe are unacceptable, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) said during a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Warsaw on Wednesday.

As Karins' press secretary Sandris Sabajevs informed LETA, during the meeting the officials discussed the security situation in the region, current issues of the European Union (EU) agenda and Latvian-Polish bilateral and regional cooperation.

Karins noted that Latvia and Poland are simultaneously experiencing several common challenges - the Covid-19 pandemic, the hybrid attack by Belarus at the EU's external border, the concentration of Russian military forces at the Ukrainian border and a sharp rise in energy prices. The Latvian Prime Minister stated that the best way to overcome these challenges is to work closely with partners in the EU and NATO.

According to Sabajevs, during the meeting with the Polish Prime Minister, the Latvian Prime Minister emphasized the great importance of the unity of Allies. Karins also pointed out that Russia's attempts to return to the division of spheres of influence in Europe are unacceptable.

In the context of security, the Prime Minister thanked Poland for its contribution to strengthening security in the region, both by ensuring the participation of Polish soldiers in the NATO Extended Presence Battle Group and by participating in the NATO Baltic Air Patrol Mission.

Discussing the current situation on the EU's external border with Belarus, Karins praised the close cooperation between the responsible services of Latvia and Poland and their ability to respond to crisis situations.

In a conversation with Morawiecki, Karins emphasized that Latvia and Poland are united by both a common history and very close economic cooperation, as Poland is one of Latvia's largest trading partners. The Prime Minister of Latvia called for expanding co-operation in the fields of transport and infrastructure, information and communication technologies and smart specializations. Cooperation during the implementation of regional projects, such as the completion of the Rail Baltica project, was also emphasized during the talks. The two heads of government also agreed on the need to strengthen Europe's role in the global economy.

During the visit, the Prime Minister also visited the Warsaw Uprising Museum, paying tribute to the Polish resistance movement during World War II. According to Karins, the ambitions of the aggressive superpowers in today's Europe must not determine the fate of free states and their foreign policy choices - the Warsaw Uprising Museum and the exhibition in it clearly confirm this.