On 9 February, President Edgars Rinkēvičs paid a working visit to Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania. During the visit, President of Latvia met with the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, the President of the Republic of Estonia, Alar Karis, the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The officials discussed the accession of the Baltic states to the European energy system, the protection of critical infrastructure, the strengthening of transatlantic relations, the development of the European defence industry, the implementation of key regional infrastructure projects, as well as support for Ukraine and sanctions policy towards Russia.
"The synchronisation of the Baltic states with the European energy system represents a significant milestone in strengthening our energy independence. This process will not only enhance our energy supply security, but also foster closer integration into the European energy market," emphasised President of Latvia. At the same time, President Rinkēvičs highlighted the importance of protecting critical infrastructure, particularly in light of recent incidents in the Baltic Sea. He called on the EU and NATO to strengthen their cooperation in safeguarding underwater critical infrastructure and welcomed NATO's increased military presence in the Baltic Sea through the implementation of the NATO mission "Baltic Guardian".
The President of Latvia emphasised the necessity for the European Union and its member states to increase their spending on security and defence while also enhancing the capacity of the defence and military industries. "Given the current geopolitical situation, security must be one of the European Union's top priorities," said E. Rinkēvičs.
The President called for the continuation of all forms of support for Ukraine and the strengthening of sanctions against Russia. "The European Union must continue to support Ukraine and intensify sanctions against Russia. Particular attention should be given to targeting Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet’, which threatens security in the Baltic Sea and helps finance Russia’s aggression against Ukraine," E. Rinkēvičs stressed.
At the conclusion of his visit, the President of Latvia attended the official ceremony marking Baltic Energy Independence Day, celebrating the Baltic states’ integration into the European energy system.
