President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs convened the National Security Council meeting in the Riga Castle on 20 August.
Meeting of the National Security Council focused on recent, developments in international politics, attempts to reach fair and lasting peace in Ukraine, next steps and conditions under which Latvia would potentially help guarantee Ukraine’s security. Members of the Council also discussed Latvia’s financial contribution to NATO initiative for the purchase of priority weapons for Ukraine from the USA.
General Guntis Pujāts, Commander of the State Border Force, and Kaspars Pudāns, Chief of the Defence Staff of the National Armed Forces, briefed the National Security Council about current situation on the eastern border and efforts to manage illegal migration. Council members discussed how National Armed Forces should rapidly respond to State Border Force assistance requests and provide support in securing the borders in the long run. Members then reviewed progress with implementation of technical infrastructure and funding requirements for further development of such infrastructure along the whole length of the border line to ensure immediate response capabilities. National Security Council also agreed that prompt implementation of changes in the legal framework should facilitate the delivery of additional counter-mobility and border security measures.
According to Article 28 of the National Security Law, one of the tasks of the Council is to review and discuss the National Threat Analysis prepared by the Defence Intelligence and Security Service.
National security services also presented status reports to the Council. Members of the National Security Council were specifically interested in intelligence community’s assessment of the forthcoming Russia-Belarus military training Zapad 2025.