President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs, joined by his Estonian and Lithuanian counterparts, met with Secretary General António Guterres on 21 September during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Meeting focused on current security environment and global challenges, such as Russian aggression against Ukraine, situation in the Middle East, artificial intelligence regulations and need to reform the UN.
President Rinkēvičs mentioned rising number of Russia’s subversions against the Baltics and other countries supporting Ukraine as the main reason for escalating risks. Edgars Rinkēvičs condemned Russia’s attempts to intensify the use of ballistic missiles and drones against civilian population and infrastructure in Ukraine. According to President, Russia’s strikes on Ukraine’s grain infrastructure can severely undermine global food supply security.
During the meeting, President Rinkēvičs talked to Secretary General Guterres about his joint initiative, with several other heads of state, calling for the establishment of regulatory and control framework for artificial intelligence agents. It is vital to work together with Europe and smaller countries on common standards in the field, he stressed.
As Edgars Rinkēvičs pointed out, Latvia supports a comprehensive reform of the UN framework to ensure that it is capable of delivering on its mandate efficiently, with UN Security Council capable of resolving global challenges.
