Spruds on visit to US stresses role of US military presence, affirms Latvia's commitment to boosting defense capabilities

RIGA - Defense Minister (Progressives) on a visit to the US stressed to US officials the role of US military presence in the Baltic region and reaffirmed Latvia's commitment to bolstering its defense capabilities by raising the defense budget to 5 percent of GDP, LETA was told at the press office of the Defense Ministry.

During his working visit to Washington, D.C., this week, Spruds met with US congressmen and high-ranked defense officials to discuss bilateral defense cooperation and strengthen transatlantic ties.

"The US is and will remain an important strategic partner for Latvia. Our cooperation is based on shared values, trust and a common understanding of security. We highly value the important contribution of the United States to the security of the Baltic region. Latvia has been and remains a reliable ally, and this partnership is essential for strengthening both regional and transatlantic security," said Spruds.

During his visit, Spruds met with Don Bacon and Salud Carbajal, co-chairs of the House Baltic Caucus, to discuss regional security issues and the US role in strengthening the security of the Baltic States.

During the two meetings, the minister emphasized that Latvia continues to invest in its defense capabilities and thanked the US for its contribution to Latvia's security. The strengthening of US-Baltic military cooperation will continue under the Baltic Security Initiative, where more than USD 220 million will be invested this year in arms and technology purchases.

The Latvian defense minister also met with Senator Elissa Slotkin and Senator Rick Scott, as well as US Congress Representatives Adam Smith and Jake Ellzey, to discuss security and defense cooperation between the two countries.

In his talks with the senior US officials, Spruds underlined the role of the US military presence in the Baltic region and affirmed Latvia's commitment to increasing its defense capabilities by raising defense spending to 5 percent of GDP.

Spruds also met with the leadership of the US National Guard - General Steven Nordhaus, as well as the Commander of the Michigan National Guard, Major General Paul Rogers, to discuss the US military presence in Latvia, as well as future cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries and the organization of military exercises.

In the conversation, the defense minister indicated that Latvia continues to invest in defense, including in the development of infrastructure by building Selonia Military Training Area, which will allow Latvia, as a host country, to provide an even higher level of support for the presence of US forces and collective military training opportunities.

During his visit, Spruds participated in a discussion on defense issues organized by the German Marshall Fund, as well as in a panel discussion at the Munich Leaders Forum on Russia's aggression against Ukraine and ways to strengthen Ukraine's ability to defend its sovereignty and promote sustainable peace in the region.

As reported, Spruds is in the United States on a working visit until Friday to meet with members of the US Congress and discuss transatlantic relations and bilateral cooperation.

The US is a long-standing strategic partner and ally of Latvia, playing an important role in strengthening Latvia's security. The relationship between the two countries is based on shared values and a common understanding of democracy.