Latvia will continue to support Ukraine in the UN Security Council - Rinkevics

RIGA - Latvia will continue to support Ukraine to the fullest extent in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), underlined President Edgars Rinkevics, who met with Prime Minister Evika Silina in Jurmala on Wednesday.

The President thanked the diplomats and all those who had been involved in the process of Latvia's candidacy to the UNSC, stressing that the election to the UNSC is not the end, but the beginning of the journey. Rinkevics emphasized that Latvia would work in this format together with 14 other countries from January 1 next year.

In the politician's assessment, much has been said about the role and importance of the UNSC, much criticism has been voiced about the Council's less than effective handling of crises, while at the same time the UNSC is currently the only universal organization, legally and politically, whose decisions are binding on states.

He believes it is important that, even if the results are not always visible, the voices of those countries that stand for an order based on international law and the rule of law and that refute the policies of various authoritarian states are clearly heard in the discussions. It is essential that such countries vote with other like-minded countries in the UNSC, if necessary, in order to advance this or that issue, to prevent this or that issue from being pushed in the wrong direction.

In the President's view, the priorities that the Latvian Government formulated several years ago and that Latvian diplomats and politicians have consistently implemented are order based on international law, sustainable development, and issues that affect Latvia's interests, as well as countering Russian propaganda with truth. He explained that Latvian diplomats, together with other European and like-minded countries, will implement this in the UNSC.

Rinkevics mentioned that Latvia is building on the experience of Estonia and Lithuania, which have already been non-permanent members of the UNSC. He said that it was good that the UNSC had always had a country from the North Baltic region, currently Denmark. The President welcomed the fact that Latvia can work on issues that support and assist Ukraine. According to the President, it is no secret that the UNSC is often addressed by the Foreign Minister of Ukraine and by the Foreign Ministers of like-minded countries.

"Let us not forget that Russia's lies about history and human rights, and will also have to be refuted from time to time. The UNSC gives extra support to work with all countries of the world. Latvia can use this platform to get our message to the world as well," said the President.

He added that the next two years of the UNSC would not only be the work of diplomats, it would also be an opportunity to support and help Latvian entrepreneurs in Africa, Latin America and Asia, as entrepreneurs often accompanied diplomats and ministers during the campaign talks.

"We have also hosted and will continue to host other heads of state, we will use this opportunity not only to address big, broad and idealistic issues, but also to help our country develop to the maximum and gain visibility, which also practically helps around the world," said the President of Latvia.

As reported, Latvia was on Tuesday elected to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for two years - 2026 and 2027 - by 178 votes.

To become a non-permanent member, Latvia needed the support of two-thirds of the UN member states.

Latvia ran for a non-permanent seat on the UNSC and remained the only candidate from the Eastern European group. Until January 31, Latvia was in competition with Montenegro, but Montenegro decided to withdraw its candidacy.

The countries running for non-permanent seats on the UNSC this year included Latvia from the Eastern Europe group, Congo and Liberia from the Africa group, Colombia from the Latin America and Caribbean group and Bahrain from the Asia-Pacific group.

On the UNSC, Latvia has pledged to advocate cooperation among UN member states, regional organizations and civil society in order to strengthen resilience, promote lasting peace and security, achieve sustainable development and leave no one behind.