Latvia's foreign minister compared the Russian army's advance to a snail
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze sharply dismissed claims of a Russian military “advance” on the front lines. She described the occupying forces’ pace as so slow that it was “an insult to snails” and called on Europe to step up its support for Ukraine. The diplomat emphasized that this is a critical moment that must not be missed.
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze sharply and ironically criticized claims of the Russian army’s alleged significant successes on the front lines, calling its pace of advance so slow that it is, in her words, “an insult to snails,” and urged European partners not to waste time and to step up support for Ukraine.
In her speech, Braze directly questioned claims of a “successful Russian offensive,” noting that, in her assessment, the Russian army has effectively become bogged down in Donbas despite the prolonged period of hostilities. “To say that the Russian army is advancing at a snail’s pace would be an insult to snails. If a snail had started moving from Avdiivka in February 2022 and headed west, it would have already reached the Czech Republic, whereas Russia is still bogged down in Donbas. Ukraine has seized the initiative—we must seize this moment and strengthen our support,” the minister stated.
Separately, she appealed to European governments not to delay decisions on aid to Kyiv, emphasizing that Ukraine now has a chance to maintain the initiative on the front lines, and that, in her view, it is critically important not to miss this moment.
Brazze also outlined four key areas that, in her view, should form the basis of Europe’s security policy: strengthening the defense industry, reinforcing NATO’s eastern flank, providing long-term support to Ukraine, and maintaining pressure on Russia through sanctions and isolation.
She emphasized that without a systematic approach to these issues, Europe risks losing its strategic advantage in the confrontation with the Kremlin.
On the morning of May 17, a drone resembling a Ukrainian FP-1 briefly entered Latvian airspace; official warnings about a potential threat from an unidentified aerial object were issued in five border regions.
Latvia handed Russia a note of protest over the drones that entered the country’s territory.
Latvia acknowledged the failure of its drone detection systems due to the downing of Russian UAVs.
