Europe must be able to position itself as strong partner with something to offer US - Rinkevics

RIGA - It is clear that the foreign policy guidelines of the new US administration will be based on its own interests, therefore, in order to maintain the transatlantic ties, Europe must be able to position itself as a strong partner that has something to offer to the US, capable of standing up to Russia, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics shared his thoughts on Facebook after the Munich Security Conference.

He admitted that the days of the conference were emotional and intense, and that differences between the US and European visions were evident, but such conferences are also the right place for such discussions. The US and Europe will not be in agreement on all issues, but this does not prevent us from seeking common ground and bridging the gaps, the president believes.

Rinkevics pointed out that the negotiations on a regulation of the situation in Ukraine are only just beginning - the US is currently seeking the views of its allies and formulating its strategy. It is essential that all negotiations take place with Ukraine's participation, with Europe's participation, but this requires a strong Europe with a clear support plan for Ukraine, the country's first official said.

The president believes that the Ukrainian peace talks are unpredictable, but Latvia's basic principles remain unchanged - a strong and independent Ukraine, support for it, maximum containment of Russia, a strong Europe and transatlantic cooperation. It is understandable that Russia will try to get NATO to withdraw its forces "within the limits of 1997", but this must not be allowed to happen, Rinkevics stressed.

On defense funding, he pointed out that the NATO summit in the Hague should decide that the minimum amount of money that member states should spend on their defense should be 3-3.5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP), while for the Eastern Flank countries it should be 4-5 percent of their GDP. "This is necessary to meet NATO force development objectives, not just for the sake of politics. It goes hand in hand with the mobilization of industry, because money is not enough, we need weapons, armaments and ammunition now", stressed Rinkevics, reminding about the announcement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that defense spending will not be included in the European Union (EU) budget deficit ceiling under certain conditions.

Rinkevics also pointed out that both the incidents in the Baltic Sea and the migratory pressure at the borders have strengthened cooperation and coordination between the Baltic, Nordic and Polish countries. Military reinforcement of the Eastern border and other measures will be decided and implemented jointly. This cooperation mechanism and force will help to fight for appropriate decisions in NATO and the EU, including a rapid response in times of crisis, the president believes.

However, when it comes to Latvia, Rinkevics said that he felt that we are still unable to mobilize and understand the seriousness of the situation. "National security and defense is not something virtual and remote. It is something that everyone should take care of today, putting aside petty squabbles and affairs. We need to mobilize. Defense spending, public confidence in the government, increasing the National Guard, development of the defense industry, civil defense, these are just some of the issues on the agenda. We can solve them, but we have to get our act together," the president said, adding that strong and confident countries are not attacked, even if they are not big.

At the same time, he reminded that Latvia continues to have the support of all its allies, including the US, and that our actions are appreciated. Latvia's diplomacy must be sharp and energetic, its defense must be strong, its society resilient and its government wise, he said.

"The Munich Conference was good because we can clearly see that the world is changing. We have the time, we have the opportunities. I leave Munich not as an optimist or a pessimist, but rather as a realist. There will be a lot of news, announcements and information in the near future. There will be attempts to intimidate us and undermine our confidence. In this noise of information, it is important to distinguish between the irritating and the essential. I am confident that we will get through this time," Rinkevics said.

The Munich Security Conference is one of the world’s leading security policy forums. Its 61st edition, held in Munich, Germany, on February 14-16 this year, brought together political leaders, business representatives, and think tanks.