The President of Latvia called on NATO to prepare for a possible open confrontation with Russia
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs stated that NATO must be prepared for a scenario in which Russia could move toward open confrontation with the Alliance. At the same time, he emphasized that any aggression against the bloc’s member states will be met with a decisive response.
According to the Latvian president, Alliance countries must clearly demonstrate to Moscow their readiness to defend their allies.
“If Russia challenges NATO, the Alliance’s response will be proportionate,” Rinkēvičs emphasized.
The Latvian president also stated that achieving a just peace in Ukraine is impossible without the active participation of European states.
In addition, he stressed that Ukraine’s membership in the European Union is in Europe’s strategic interests, particularly in the area of security.
Rinkēvičs noted that increasing NATO countries’ defense spending to 5% of GDP does not in itself guarantee an adequate level of security.
According to him, the main task is to genuinely strengthen defense capabilities, in particular by procuring modern weapons and military equipment.
“Money is very important, but it is essential to have weapons, missiles, and equipment that can be purchased with these budget funds,” the Latvian president noted.
Rinkēvičs also emphasized that the United States remains an indispensable partner for Europe in the field of defense, regardless of political debates or statements by individual European leaders.
This was reported by Polsat News.
NATO is increasingly preparing for a possible conflict with Russia while simultaneously considering scenarios in which Europe would have to rely more on its own capabilities. The Economist reports this, noting that Germany is already changing its military policy, and Alliance countries are reviewing their approaches to defending the eastern flank.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged members of the Polish delegation to refrain from making statements about new financial commitments to Ukraine ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara.
