On 13 May, President Edgars Rinkēvičs met with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during the summit of NATO’s Eastern Flank (B9) and Nordic countries in Bucharest, Romania.
During the bilateral meeting, the presidents of Latvia and Ukraine discussed support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, deepening cooperation between Latvia and Ukraine in the field of defence, as well as Ukraine’s potential contribution to strengthening Latvia’s air defence capabilities.
The President emphasised Latvia’s unwavering support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, reaffirming Latvia’s readiness to continue providing military and practical assistance to Ukraine, as well as support for Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration and reform process. At the same time, E. Rinkēvičs noted that Latvia is interested in deepening cooperation with Ukraine in the defence sector by promoting collaboration between the defence industries of both countries.
“Ukraine’s military capabilities and rapidly growing defence industry are essential for the security of Latvia and all of Europe. Ukrainian-produced weaponry and unmanned aerial vehicles have been tested and proven on the battlefield. It is in Latvia’s interests to deepen cooperation with Ukraine in the defence sector by drawing on Ukraine’s experience in developing and integrating the defence industry into the armed forces, as well as by fostering cooperation between the defence industries of both countries,” said E. Rinkēvičs.
The President placed a particular emphasis on Ukraine’s advanced counter-drone capabilities and welcomed Ukraine’s readiness to send experts to Latvia to contribute to strengthening Latvia’s air defence capacities. “As a result of Russia’s aggression, Ukraine is deliberately targeting Russian military facilities and the energy sector that finances Russia’s war machine. As the intensity of attacks increases, drone incidents are becoming more frequent in Latvia. We appreciate Ukraine’s readiness to send experts to Latvia who would contribute to strengthening Latvia’s air defence capabilities. At the same time, we encourage the development of technical solutions to reduce the risks posed by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in cases where control over them is lost due to Russian electronic warfare,” stated the President.
