Security is top priority for Latvia and Euro-Atlantic area - MP Bergmanis

RIGA - Security is the top priority for Latvia and the Euro-Atlantic area, MP Raimonds Bergmanis (United List), speaking on behalf of the Latvian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA), said during the annual foreign policy debate in parliament Thursday.

Bergmanis said in the Saeima debate that security is now the top priority for Latvia and the Euro-Atlantic area, as the international environment is becoming increasingly unstable and Russia remains a long-term threat. He noted that strengthening NATO's capabilities was essential both for the alliance's eastern flank and for Latvia's security.

Bergmanis underlined that in recent years, the NATO PA has been paying particular attention to Ukraine and the reforms needed for the alliance, including the accelerated development of the defense industry, addressing the drone threat, and reducing bureaucracy in military production. He said that Europe still needs to increase defense spending to be able to defend itself in a situation where peace in the region is not guaranteed.

He pointed out that the resolutions adopted by the NATO PA demonstrate the unity of the allies, including with regard to support for Ukraine and strengthening democratic resilience to foreign interference. Bergmanis stressed that assistance to Ukraine must be provided on a continuous basis, even after a possible ceasefire.

On Russia, Bergmanis said that it aims to divide NATO, but that the alliance has the advantage of superior technological capabilities and the unity of allies. He added that NATO must be strong enough to deter an aggressor.

Bergmanis indicated that the US also expects a strong and self-reliant Europe, and at the Transatlantic Forum in Washington last December, the allies confirmed their readiness to strengthen their common defense capabilities. The Baltic countries were mentioned at the forum as a model for others, as they clearly demonstrate that security and prosperity are inseparable.