European countries must urgently increase their defense industry capacities - Rinkevics

RIGA - European countries urgently need to increase their defense industry capacities and take care of their key capabilities, including in air defense, President Edgars Rinkevics emphasized at a meeting with European Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius at Riga Castle on Thursday.

According to Rinkevics, this is an objective that requires both immediate and long-term investments, and the European Commission has a key role to play by providing funding instruments to accelerate member countries' preparedness to defend themselves, as the president's advisor Martins Dregeris informed LETA.

During the meeting, the two officials discussed strengthening the EU's defense and resilience against Russia's hybrid activities, as well as European initiatives and funding opportunities for eastern border security, including the deployment of drones and counter-drone solutions.

Latvia is committed to increasing defense investments and strengthening cooperation with countries in the region to bolster the EU and NATO's external borders with Russia and Belarus, said Rinkevics. He urged the European Commission to prioritize funding for measures to strengthen the eastern border, ensuring Europe's overall preparedness for military and hybrid threats.

The president and the commissioner agreed that Russia continues to test the unity and commitment of the EU and NATO member countries both to invest in their defense and to support Ukraine.

"The EU's efforts to use sanctions in order to limit Russia's revenues and resources must continue, reducing its capacity to continue the war in Ukraine," said Rinkevics.

During his visit to Latvia, Kubilius will also take part in a session of Riga Conference, a security forum dedicated to strategic investments in the European defense industry.