In parallel with strengthening NATO’s presence, our foreign policy prioritises a faster Ukraine’s victory and containment of Russia’s aggression. Today, the defence of the entire Europe begins on Ukrainian-Russian front line. Loud and clear. On Thursday, 25 January, this was emphasised by the Speaker of the Saeima Daiga Mieriņa in the annual foreign policy debate of the Saeima.

This foreign policy priority is clearly and unambiguously defined also by our closest allies in the region. This is mostly seen in the form of the support provided by the Baltic States and Poland to Ukraine, but can also be seen in the historical decision of Finland and Sweden to join NATO. The Saeima will use this change of security awareness to continue bringing the countries of the region closer together by coordinating cooperation in the Baltic and Nordic format this year, Said Speaker Mieriņa. 

The Speaker of the Saeima highlighted the emotionally charged performance of the Ukrainian national anthem by the mass choir during the last Song and Dance Festival, which strongly resonated beyond Latvia’s borders, representing a true foreign policy unity across the society, which is praised and envied outside Latvia. Today we are all diplomats, said Speaker Mieriņa.

The Speaker of the Saeima emphasised that due to Latvia’s active foreign policy, there has been a serious change in awareness also among many countries far away from the front line, in the last two years. But the war still continues for 701 days. We do not have the right to grow weary, because the outcome of this war depends not on the ability of Ukrainian soldiers to perform miracles in the battlefields, but rather on the political will Ukrainian allies, including us, said Speaker Mieriņa, emphasising the need for Latvia to develop a strategic and ambitious approach to providing military support to Ukraine.

In her address, the Speaker of the Saeima stressed the need to actively develop the future European security architecture, inter alia by supporting Ukraine’s membership in the European Union and NATO, and increasing support for Russia’s accountability at global level.

The Speaker of the Saeima highlighted the economic presence of strategic allies as a matter of national security, calling on the government and the Saeima to promote the economic presence of the United States and Canada in Latvia as a priority.

In her address, the Speaker of the Saeima also reflected on the public discussion on the lessons we can learn from the war in Ukraine, highlighting the importance of internal security and information space as some of the most valuable lessons. The aim of the aggressor state is to divide us and make us doubt our ability to protect ourselves by various means and messages, emphasised Speaker Mieriņa, urging everyone not to participate in the spreading of such baseless doubts.

Saeima Press Service