On 20 June, the President, Edgars Rinkēvičs met with the Commander of the National Armed Forces, Major General Kaspars Pudāns, at the Riga Castle. During the meeting, they discussed the next steps in the development of the National Armed Forces, with a focus on responsibly fulfilling Latvia’s commitments to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in achieving capability targets. This includes investment not only in armaments and ammunition, but also in human resources. They also addressed the necessary amendments to the National Armed Forces' Long-Term Development Plan for 2025–2036, in order to reflect the scale and timelines aligned with NATO capability objectives.
"These NATO capability targets, established to strengthen the Alliance and ensure that defence plans are backed by real capabilities, form the foundation of a new defence investment plan. It is essential that at the NATO Summit in The Hague on 24-25 June, all Allies reach agreement on moving towards allocating 5% of gross domestic product to ensure effective deterrence and defence," emphasised President Edgars Rinkēvičs, who will lead Latvia’s delegation at the NATO Summit.
The President and the Commander of the National Armed Forces welcomed recent government decisions that followed discussions at the President’s Military Council on 26 May and the National Security Council on 11 June - to increase the number of professional service personnel in the National Armed Forces and to allocate funding for the acquisition of infantry fighting vehicles. "Work must continue to ensure priority capabilities and improve combat readiness," agreed President Rinkēvičs and Major General Pudāns.
