On 7 March, President Edgars Rinkēvičs paid a visit to the National Armed Forces Air Base 'Lielvārde'. During his visit, he was able to gain insight into the combat readiness of the Air Force units, the service conditions of the Air Force soldiers, and the development of the base infrastructure. President Rinkēvičs was briefed on Latvia's airspace surveillance and air defence capabilities. The President attended the swearing-in ceremony of State Defence Service soldiers of the National Armed Forces.
During the meeting with soldiers from Germany, Spain, and the United States the President of Latvia expressed gratitude for their service in Latvia. "Your presence in Latvia serves as practical proof of NATO's collective defence. I thank the American, German, and Spanish soldiers for their service in Latvia. I would especially like to thank all those who facilitated the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission from Lielvārde airfield this month," said the President of Latvia.
