"This year marks two significant anniversaries: the 75th anniversary of the founding of NATO and the 20th anniversary of Latvia's accession to the Alliance. The Summit decision to strengthen deterrence and defence capabilities is of particular importance for the Baltic region. It is critical for our region to enhance and develop the military capabilities necessary for the defence of NATO territory, including air and missile defence, the role of command and control, the significance of military mobility, and the improvement or expansion of relevant infrastructure. This is a constant work in progress. The NATO Summit in Washington provides an opportunity to express gratitude for the continued allied presence of allies in Latvia and the wider Baltic region. I would like to thank Canada in particular for initiating the expansion of the NATO Multinational Battle Group in Latvia to the brigade level. As the host nation, Latvia is doing its utmost to provide optimal conditions for the allies and to continuously invest in strengthening its defence capabilities," said President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs.
During the summit, the President of Latvia also expressed the view that Russia is and will remain the most significant and imminent threat to the security of the Alliance. It is therefore vital to implement regional defence plans, strengthening the Alliance's deterrence capabilities and secure the defence of the NATO member states' territory. It is imperative that NATO invest in resilience and facilitates coordination between the relevant authorities of the member states.
E. Rinkēvičs expressed the hope that the decisions taken at the Washington Summit will facilitate the interoperability of the Ukrainian and NATO armed forces, thereby bringing Ukraine closer to NATO membership. Recognising the interlinked security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions, E. Rinkēvičs expressed Latvia's support for closer collaboration with partners in Australia, Japan, Korea and New Zealand.
At the NATO Summit, leaders from the 32 member states focused on issues related to the strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence capabilities and long-term support to Ukraine. During the Summit, the President of Latvia attended a reception hosted by US President Joe Biden at the White House to mark the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
