On 17 December, a meeting of the National Security Council, chaired by President Edgars Rinkēvičs, took place at the Riga Castle.
The Council discussed current international developments related to efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, ongoing diplomatic talks involving the United States, Ukraine, and European leaders in various formats, including work on developing security guarantees for Ukraine. The Council concurred that it is essential to reach an agreement at the European Council meeting on 18–19 December on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, viewing this as an important step in the further process.
The National Security Council also heard the State Audit Office’s assessment report on the implementation of military reinforcement measures along Latvia’s eastern border. As part of this discussion, the Council heard from Major General Kaspars Pudāns, Commander of the National Armed Forces, and General Guntis Pujāts, Chief of the State Border Guard. The Council evaluated the progress made to date and the challenges in implementing counter-mobility measures to strengthen the Baltic Defence Line, as well as the next steps, inter-agency cooperation, and communication with the public in the eastern border area.
The National Security Council meeting heard reports from state security institutions on the current situation.