President thanks Finland for practical support in guarding Latvia's eastern border

RIGA - President Edgars Rinkevics, during a meeting with Finnish Parliament Speaker Jussi Halla-aho on Tuesday, expressed appreciation for concrete examples of cooperation in the defense industry, as well as for the support provided by the Finnish Border Guard in protecting Latvia's eastern border.

As the president's spokesman Martins Dregeris told LETA, Halla-aho is in Latvia on an official visit. During the meeting, the officials discussed bilateral relations, security in the Baltic Sea region, defense cooperation and support for Ukraine.

The Latvian president praised the close relations between Latvia and Finland, including active cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries. Rinkevics noted that Latvia and Finland are like-minded countries and close cooperation partners within the European Union (EU) and NATO. Together, the two countries are committed to the security of the Baltic Sea and NATO's eastern flank, continuously investing in strengthening their defense capabilities. "In recent years, Latvia and Finland have maintained a very active political dialogue and exchange of visits at the presidential, parliamentary, governmental, and expert levels. I am confident that this close cooperation will continue after the parliamentary elections in both Latvia and Finland," Rinkevics noted.

The president also expressed appreciation for concrete examples of cooperation in the defense industry, as well as for the support provided by the Finnish Border Guard in protecting Latvia's eastern border. The president noted that Latvia and Finland are collaborating on producing Patria armored vehicles, which have been delivered to Ukraine to fight against Russian aggression.

"We are working on establishing an artillery ammunition assembly plant, and we are also cooperating in the field of border security, not only by exchanging experience, but also through Finland's practical support for Latvia in guarding the eastern border. It is essential that we work together to find effective and long-term solutions as quickly as possible to security challenges such as protecting airspace against drones," Rinkevics said.

The president also noted the need to continue support for Ukraine and to make use of Ukraine's experience in strengthening the defense industry and accelerating the introduction of innovations, given the security challenges faced by NATO and EU member states.