On 3 October, during his official visit to Albania, President Edgars Rinkēvičs met with the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, reaffirming Latvia’s support for Albania’s progress towards membership of the European Union (EU) and expressing appreciation for the country’s readiness to host the NATO Summit in 2027. The discussions focused on the security situation both in the Baltic region and the Western Balkans, as well as the challenges of hybrid warfare across the Euro-Atlantic area.
The President of Latvia welcomed Albania’s consistent position in opposing Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, its support for Ukraine, and its involvement in the EU sanctions policy. The meeting also addressed opportunities to expand existing cooperation between Latvia and Albania in the field of defence, as well as ways to promote economic relations between the two countries.
“Latvia and Albania are investing responsibly in strengthening their own and the Alliance’s collective security and defence, developing the defence industry, and providing support to Ukraine. This mutual solidarity is demonstrated by the presence of Albanian forces in NATO’s multinational brigade in Latvia and by the longstanding participation of Latvian soldiers in NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR. Albania’s readiness to host the NATO Summit in 2027 further confirms its status as an active NATO Ally,” emphasized President Rinkēvičs.
On 2–3 October, during his official visit to Albania, the President of Latvia met with the President of Albania, Bajram Begaj, the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Niko Aleks Peleshi, and the Prime Minister, Edi Rama. As part of the visit, President Rinkēvičs laid flowers at the Mother Albania Monument and visited the National Historical Museum of Albania.
During the visit, President Rinkēvičs familiarised himself with the work of Latvia’s Honorary Consulate in Albania and met with the Honorary Consul, Sokol Kraja, who has carried out his duties with dedication for ten years.