Tariff discussions benefit no one in the Euro-Atlantic area - Rinkevics

RIGA - Discussions on tariffs are not to the benefit of anyone in the Euro-Atlantic area, so it is important to continue working with all allies to find a reasonable solution, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said at a meeting with UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebecca Grynspan in Davos.

US President Donald Trump has stepped up his rhetoric against Greenland in recent weeks, saying the US will take control "one way or another" and threatening a 10 percent tariff on all imports from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland over the Greenland issue.

In a meeting with the UN Secretary-General for Trade and Development, Rinkevics heard Grynspan's vision of the "UN80 initiative" and views on the importance of free trade.

Rinkevics expressed support for reforming the UN, "which is necessary to reflect today's realities and strengthen the organization's ability to act effectively", Martins Dregeris, adviser to the president on communications, told LETA.

During the World Economic Forum in Davos, Rinkevics also met with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, welcoming the cooperation between the Michigan National Guard and the National Armed Forces. "We appreciate the support and the opportunity for Latvian soldiers to participate in military exercises in Michigan every year," Rinkevics added.

The Latvian President expressed interest in deepening cooperation with the Michigan National Guard and working towards strengthening the US military presence.