Baltic region must become key contributor to Europe's security strategy - MP

RIGA - The Baltic region must become a key contributor to Europe’s security strategy, says Saeima Deputy Speaker Zanda Kalnina-Lukasevica (New Unity), who on Tuesday will participate in the Warsaw Security Forum.

As LETA was told at the Saeima Press Service, the forum is the most significant security and foreign policy conference in Central and Eastern Europe. During the forum, the Saeima deputy speaker will participate in a high-level parliamentary discussion on transatlantic unity.

Kalnina-Lukasevica is a member of a working group of experts and political leaders that contributed to the development of the strategic report for the 2026 Warsaw Security Forum "Securing Europe from the Eastern Flank to the Far North: Strategy for the Nordic-Baltic-Polish Group."

The report’s main message is that the Baltic states, the Nordic countries, and Poland must become the architects of Europe’s future security architecture. It puts forward specific proposals for strengthening cooperation in three areas: foreign policy and European integration; defense and international security; and energy and resilience. The report also emphasizes the need to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defense capabilities, develop regional defense cooperation, and reduce strategic vulnerabilities.

Kalnina-Lukasevica points out that the European security environment has fundamentally changed. As the lawmaker notes, the threat from Russia will not end even after the active phase of the war in Ukraine is over. Kalnina-Lukasevica states that the countries of the Baltic region are most acutely aware of the threats posed by Russia. "We also have the experience and political will to work together to build a stronger Europe. Therefore, we must not merely be Europe’s first line of defense, we must be the architects of Europe’s security strategy," Kalnina-Lukasevica notes.

During the Warsaw Security Forum, the Saeima deputy speaker will also participate in a high-level parliamentary discussion on the role of parliaments in promoting transatlantic unity. The discussion will focus on strengthening European-U.S. cooperation at a time when the global security environment is changing, the need for greater European investment in defense is growing, and united action by allies to deter Russian aggression is becoming particularly important.

This year’s Warsaw Security Forum will take place on October 12 and 13. This year, the forum brings together more than 2,500 political leaders, parliamentarians, military officials, and security experts from approximately 90 countries to discuss the future of European security, the strengthening of NATO, transatlantic cooperation, and support for Ukraine. The forum is an important international platform for shaping security and defense policy, bringing together representatives of states and governments, NATO and European Union (EU) officials, parliamentarians, military experts, and think tank representatives.