On 18 December, President Edgars Rinkēvičs in Riga Castle met with President of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar, who is on an official visit to Latvia, to discuss bilateral cooperation between Latvia and Slovenia, Russian aggression against Ukraine, including sanctions policy against Russia, as well as enlargement of the European Union (EU) and current foreign policy issues.
During the meeting, E. Rinkēvičs pointed out that Latvia and Slovenia share similar historical experiences, values, and goals. Slovenia has made a significant contribution to strengthening Latvia's security by ensuring the participation of representatives of the Slovenian Armed Forces in the NATO Enhanced Presence Battle Group in Latvia since its establishment. The President of Latvia welcomed the opening of the Slovenian Embassy in Latvia, which will strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
During the conversation, the issue of protecting the EU's external borders was raised. The President of Latvia noted Belarus' hybrid attacks on the EU's external border, using migration as a weapon and artificially reducing the throughput of freight traffic.
As regards the EU enlargement policy, President Rinkēvičs welcomed the decisions of the European Council of December this year to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. At the same time, the President of Latvia stressed the need for the EU and its Member States to continue their political, economic, financial and military support to Ukraine.
The parties also discussed the situation in the Middle East. E. Rinkēvičs expressed the view that, while supporting Israel's fight against the terrorist organisation 'Hamas', the international community should make efforts to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the wider region.
The President of Latvia congratulated Slovenia on becoming a non-permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council as of 1 January 2024. During the meeting, E. Rinkēvičs expressed Latvia's support for UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security and highlighted Latvia's contribution to the establishment of rehabilitation centres in Ukraine for female victims of sexual violence.
In 2024, Latvia and Slovenia will celebrate 20 years of accession to the EU and NATO. During the official visit of the Slovenian President to Latvia, the presidents of both countries attended the opening ceremony of the Slovenian Embassy in Latvia.
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Nataša Pirc Musar became President of Slovenia on 23 December 2022. Born in 1968, she graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Ljubljana and received her doctorate from the Faculty of Law in Vienna in 2015. She is a lawyer and journalist. Nataša Pirc Musar is the first woman President of Slovenia since 1991.
