On 13 May, President Edgars Rinkēvičs participated in the summit of NATO’s Eastern Flank countries, known as Bucharest Nine (B9), and the Nordic countries in Bucharest, Romania. During a joint working session with the NATO Secretary General, as well as with the participation of a representative of the United States, preparations for the NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held in Ankara in early July were discussed. The discussions focused on strengthening defence and deterrence in the region, accelerating the development of Europe’s defence capabilities and military industry, as well as providing comprehensive support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s aggression.
During the plenary session, the President of Latvia stressed the importance of NATO unity and the fulfilment of Allies’ commitment to invest 5% of GDP in defence. “Europe needs the United States just as the United States needs Europe. NATO is an indispensable platform that aligns the common interests and actions of the Alliance in the name of collective security, both in confronting conventional threats and in addressing the challenges of hybrid warfare. Allies on the Eastern Flank and in the Nordic region are making a significant contribution to strengthening transatlantic unity, as well as to supporting Ukraine. At the NATO Summit in Ankara, Allies must demonstrate progress regarding increased defence spending and investments in concrete defence capabilities,” stated E. Rinkēvičs.
At the same time, the President also called for an assessment of NATO’s ability to adapt its capabilities to the rapid development of modern technologies and to ensure particularly effective air defence, including against challenges posed by unmanned aerial vehicles in allied airspace.
The leaders of the Eastern Flank allies and the Nordic countries agreed on the close link between security challenges in Europe and the Middle East, as well as on the need to support the efforts of the United States and its allies to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
A separate session of regional leaders also took place with the participation of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which allies underlined Ukraine’s contribution to strengthening European common security and the need to continue military support for Ukraine in its fight against the long-term threat posed by Russia. “Allied military support for Ukraine must continue, and cooperation with Ukraine’s defence industry must be strengthened. We, the allies, must learn from Ukraine and from the capabilities it has developed. The Ukrainian Armed Forces and defence industry are among the strongest in Europe and possess substantial combat experience in modern warfare,” emphasised E. Rinkēvičs.
