Germany and Latvia agree on Russia as a threat to Euro-Atlantic security

RIGA - Germany and Latvia agree that Russia is a threat to Euro-Atlantic security and must be contained in every possible way, said Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze (New Unity), who welcomed German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at the Foreign Ministry on Monday.

The Latvian foreign minister noted that Latvia is celebrating 105 years of international recognition at a time when Europe and the world are again experiencing heightened security tensions. She said that the cooperation of allies in NATO, the partnership in the European Union (EU), and the joint action of like-minded countries allow us to look to the future with confidence.

Braze praised Germany's role as an important ally for Latvia, the Baltic states, and Europe, highlighting the German government's strategic decisions to strengthen defense capabilities, increase defense funding, and support Ukraine.

The Latvian foreign minister also pointed to the EU's common position on prioritizing security and defense, simplifying regulation, opening the free market, and concluding a new trade agreement with the Mercosur trade bloc, underlining that these issues constitute a common political position.

Braze also noted Germany's military presence in the region, including the deployment of a German brigade in Lithuania, Germany's contribution to strengthening NATO decision-making, and the participation of the German Air Force in the protection of NATO airspace in the Baltic region.

For his part, Wadephul stressed that Europe is currently in a crucial phase in which the security, freedom, and capacity of the continent are being decided. He noted that the Baltic Sea region is central to European security and that Latvia knows well from its history of Russian attempts to pressure, intimidate, and destabilize.

He underlined Germany's solidarity with Latvia and the other Baltic states, pointing to Germany's contribution to the security of NATO's eastern flank, including the deployment of a brigade in Lithuania, participation in the policing of Baltic airspace, and the Baltic Sea security measures.

The German foreign minister underlined historical responsibility, pointing out that the German occupation of Latvia from 1941 involved violent extermination, forced labor, and the killing of the Jewish population. He stressed that these crimes impose an obligation to protect European freedom and human dignity.

Wadephul pointed out that since Latvia's independence, a close partnership based on mutual trust has been established between the two countries, stressing that Germany is one of Latvia's most important trading partners and that more than 1,200 German companies are doing business in Latvia. He also mentioned the importance of learning German among young people in Latvia.

The German foreign minister said that Russia is testing Europe's resilience every day in the air, on the water, and in cyberspace, through hybrid threats and damage to critical infrastructure. He added that Europe is responding by strengthening infrastructure protection and working on a 20th package of sanctions against Russia, specifically targeting energy revenues and combating Russia's shadow fleet.

Wadephul underlined the importance of transatlantic relations and support for Ukraine, noting that the EU has agreed on a EUR 90 billion loan framework for Ukraine and that Germany is ready to invest in Ukraine's long-term security. A strong Ukraine, capable of defending itself, is in the interest of European security, and the European peace order must be based on rules, not on the law of force, the German minister said.