Dear Mr President, dear Gitanas,
Rector Razbadauskas,
Distinguished members of Academia,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a profound honour to receive the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from Klaipeda University. My sincere thanks go to the Rector of Klaipeda University, Professor Artūras Razbadauskas and to the University Senate.
After twelve years as Foreign Minister, and now as President of Latvia, there is not much that surprises me. But this honour from Klaipeda University was a wonderful surprise.
You have welcomed me into your university community. That means a great deal to me. In some ways, I feel like the 20-year-old student again.
Dear members of the University community,
Congratulations on your 35th anniversary. This year, we also mark 35 years since the renewal of diplomatic relations between Latvia and Lithuania.
Klaipeda University was born at a time when our countries were rebuilding themselves. We were rebuilding our institutions. We were returning to Europe. We were learning how to be free again.
Today, you are a university of the future. You have a clear mission: to support knowledge, cooperation and prosperity. Here in Klaipeda, on the shore of the Baltic Sea, you are perfectly placed to build partnerships among the Baltic Sea countries.
A university is a place to study and to excel. It is also a place to try, to stumble, and to learn from mistakes. And yes, sometimes it is also a place to have fun.
I am glad to see the growing cooperation between Klaipeda University and Latvian universities. Lithuania is one of Latvia’s most important partners in research and science. Our cultural links are just as strong.
Every time I visit the theatre in Liepāja, I see excellent actors who studied here. They contribute so much to Latvian culture. And part of their inspiration came from their time here in Klaipeda.
I hope you will have even more reasons to visit your friendly next-door neighbor, Liepāja - which will be the European Capital of Culture in 2027.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We are broliukai – brothers in the truest sense. We share so much: history, friendship, solidarity, and the firm belief that our own pink soup is the best.
Sometimes we compete. But only in friendly ways. On the basketball court. At the Eurovision Song Contest. And, of course, in the never-ending battle against mosquitoes at Midsummer.
And still, I want to raise an issue of šaltibarščiai or aukstā zupa. We should seriously address this issue as the whole world knows that the truth is on our side.
Dear friends,
As brothers, we have also achieved our greatest success together. We stood together in our struggle for freedom. We joined hands in the Baltic Way. We joined the European Union and NATO together.
Last year, here in Klaipeda, we celebrated Baltic Energy Independence Day. It marked the full integration of the Baltic states into the European energy system. Getting rid of the Russian and Belarussian grid.
And today, we stand together again. We stand with Ukraine. We stand for the security of Europe. We stand for the right of every nation to choose its own future.
I have learned that Unitas Omnia Vincit – unity conquers all. This is true for nations and their people. It is true in international relations. And it is true for neighbors and brothers like us.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman voiced a new idea. He called for European cooperation in the name of peace and democracy. That idea became the foundation of today’s European Union.
For us, this direction has always mattered. But seventy-six years ago, in Latvia and Lithuania, people were not free to speak about the Schuman Declaration. Its values were foreign to the occupying regime. Those who dreamed about democracy were punished.
But that changed. Our people set things right. Today, we are members of democratic Europe. We are in our rightful place.
The European Union is not perfect. Nor should it be. So-called perfection exists only where shortcomings are forbidden. Where mistakes are hidden. Where criticism is silenced.
In Europe, we are free to disagree. We are free to criticize. We are free to shape our future together through democracy. That is our strength.
For some countries, the European dream has not yet been fulfilled. But the dream is alive. The path is not easy. We in the Baltic states know this very well.
That is why we must support those who choose democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. This includes Ukraine, Moldova, the Western Balkans, and the people of Georgia.
Every nation has the right to choose its own path. Every nation has the right to pursue their dream. This also applies to the people of Belarus, Armenia, and others who want to choose their own future.
Dear Friends,
We do not choose our geography. But we do choose our friends. And we have chosen the Euro-Atlantic path.
Together with our allies, we stand as watchmen on Europe’s eastern flank. We understand the threat that comes from the east.
Latvia and Lithuania lead by example. We are part of NATO’s “5% club”. We are investing 5% of GDP in defence. In Latvia, this is written into the Law on Defence Financing. It is not a short-term measure. It is a long-term strategy.
Now we must deliver. This percentage must be more than a figure on paper. It must mean real capabilities on land, at sea, and in the air.
It means stronger counter-drone capabilities. It means stronger defence industries. It means a firm stand against Russian disinformation and hybrid threats.
We know our responsibility. We must strengthen the external border of NATO and the European Union. We need to counter hybrid tactics used by Russia and Belarus.
And we are not alone. We are grateful for NATO’s Multinational Brigade in Latvia. It brings together 14 nations under the very capable leadership of Canada. The German brigade in Lithuania and the UK presence in Estonia make us all stronger.
Distinguished guests,
There is much more work ahead of us. And we should learn from the best. Today, the most capable and battle-tested army in Europe is Ukraine. The most battle-tested society in Europe is also in Ukraine.
Ukraine is a litmus test. It shows whether our words are backed by action. Our strategy is clear. It is a winning strategy:
First, provide Ukraine with everything it needs to defend itself;
Second, strengthen our own defense capabilities;
Third, boost our defense industries;
Fourth, and do this together — as Europeans, as NATO Allies, and as defenders of the principles that underpin global stability.
Doing less would betray Ukraine. It would weaken us. And it would undermine the very security we rely on. Doing more will strengthen peace and democracy worldwide.
Distinguished guests,
This brings me to the topic I would like to describe as international rules-based disorder.
The world has changed. We once spoke about a rules-based international order. Today, too often, we see rules-based disorder.
We must not accept this as normal. We must work to restore order. It may not be the same order as before. But it must be based on clear principles.
For Latvia, the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. They are the bedrock of our statehood. They are also the foundation of peace in Europe.
So, what must we do? We must work with like-minded partners. We must bring together our strengths, our knowledge, and our resources. We must build trust across Europe and across the oceans.
We must continue our dynamic Northern-Baltic partnership, the NB8. Let us intensify cooperation also with Poland and Germany. Together, we can build a safer and stronger Baltic Sea region. A region that is secure and united.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for the honour you have shown me today. Thank you also for your warm hospitality.
It is always a pleasure to be in Klaipeda — the city of cranes and sails. The hometown of Gitanas. And, if you ask almost any Latvian child, the place where dolphins come from.
I will remember this day with gratitude. It will remain one of the warmest memories of my State Visit to Lithuania.
Thank you!
