Pressure on Russia must continue until end of aggression and settlement of reparations - Braze

RIGA - Pressure on Russia, including by expanding sanctions, must continue until the end of the war of aggression and the settlement of reparations, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze (New Unity), who is visiting Azerbaijan this week, said during a meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

As Braze's spokesman Toms Sadovskis told LETA, the meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers focused on the expansion of economic cooperation, as well as current issues on the regional and international agenda. The minister also met with Latvian entrepreneurs at a business forum hosted by Azerbaijan.

The ministers discussed support for Ukraine. Braze expressed gratitude for Azerbaijan's humanitarian aid to Ukraine and emphasized the importance of closer cooperation with the EU in preventing sanctions evasion in order to limit support for Russia's war.

In the conversation with Bayramov, attention was focused on opportunities to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, including cooperation in trade, transport, and logistics, as well as in education, science, and innovation. Last year, trade turnover between Latvia and Azerbaijan increased by 24 percent, with Latvia’s main export goods being food, chemical industry products, pharmaceuticals, and livestock products.

The officials discussed current issues on the regional and international agenda, including the progress of the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process. Braze praised the positive dynamic in the dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia and expressed hope that a peace treaty between the two sides would soon be signed and ratified.

Discussing Azerbaijan's relations with the EU, Braze commended their progress and emphasized that they have significant potential for development in the coming years, particularly in the fields of energy and connectivity, including the development of the potential of the Trans-Caspian transport route. The two ministers also discussed the situation in the Middle East and its impact on both countries. Braze expressed gratitude for Azerbaijan's contribution to the de-escalation of tensions.

During the visit, the foreign ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Latvian and Azerbaijani Ministries of Foreign Affairs on cooperation in consular matters. This agreement will strengthen cooperation in the exchange of consular information and experience.

During the visit to Baku, the Latvian delegation attended the Latvia-Azerbaijan Business Forum, which brought together businesspeople from both countries and facilitated the identification of new opportunities for cooperation. The forum served as a platform for networking and developing practical cooperation projects, especially in export-oriented and innovation-based sectors. At the forum, Braze met Latvian entrepreneurs and discussed opportunities for expanding cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting took place during the official visit of the President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkevics, to Azerbaijan from April 21 to 23.