If Latvia leaves the EU, it would come completely under Russia's zone of influence

RIGA - If Latvia leaves the European Union, it would completely and very quickly come under Russia's zone of influence, European Parliament Member Roberts Zile (National Alliance) told LETA.

''There are different opinions about the EU within Latvian society, but I think that any person who understands financial, political and social matters also understands that there is no real scenario to leave the EU, because then we would completely come under Russia's zone of influence with all of the forthcoming consequences,'' the MEP said.

He is confident that it is in the interests of Russia to weaken the EU and make it and other Western institutions, like, for example, NATO, a laughing stock. According to him, Russian President Vladimir Putin's policies that past decades has been aimed at attempting to show Western democracies as incapable.

''This means that the weaker these international institutions, the more Putin is capable of speaking directly with several larger powers like the United States, Germany and France, while the rest is not important,'' Zile said.