On 18 March, President Edgars Rinkēvičs chaired a meeting of the National Security Council at the Riga Castle.
During the meeting, progress in interinstitutional coordination and the legal framework for the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles and counter-drone solutions was assessed. The Council heard reports on this issue from the Minister for Defence and the Commander of the National Armed Forces, the Minister for the Interior and the Chief of the State Police, as well as the Minister for Transport and the Director of the Civil Aviation Agency. The Council agreed that the rapid development of unmanned systems and their wide range of applications, particularly the lessons learned from Russia’s war against Ukraine, clearly demonstrate the need to continue strengthening unmanned systems, counter-drone and electronic warfare capabilities in a targeted manner. The Council also emphasised the importance of effective civil–military coordination, with each institution clearly understanding its responsibilities and planning appropriate response protocols.
The Council acknowledged that, since the unmanned aerial vehicle incident at Riga International Airport in January 2025, which revealed significant shortcomings, improvements have been made to the legal framework governing unmanned aircraft flight rules. The authority of the State Police to use special means to counter the unlawful use of unmanned aerial vehicles threatening the security of protected sites or critical infrastructure have also been expanded. At the same time, the Council stressed the importance of continuing to improve both the legal framework and the implementation of countermeasures.
The meeting addressed current international political developments, including the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East. The Council noted that developments in the Middle East directly affect global security and the peace negotiation process in Ukraine. The Council emphasised the need to work together with transatlantic and European partners to find solutions to the current crisis. At the same time, the international community must not turn away from providing support to Ukraine.
The meeting of the National Security Council heard reports from state security institutions.