Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs has emphasized the urgency of continuing to provide military support to Ukraine to contain Russia's military ambitions.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Rinkēvičs highlighted that robust support for Ukraine is crucial for maintaining international and European peace. He warned that Russia's success in Ukraine could lead to future threats against other countries.
Protecting Western Values
Rinkēvičs, who was sworn in as Latvia's president in July, stated that the current support from NATO and EU countries for Ukraine came about despite initial disagreements.
He noted that the EU is currently more divided on the Middle East than on the issue of Ukraine. The President stressed the importance of supporting both Ukraine and Israel against attacks to protect "our values" and the international order.
He also mentioned the need to push for humanitarian pauses in the fighting in the Gaza Strip to aid Palestinian civilians.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the number of Palestinian civilian casualties due to Israeli retaliation for a Hamas attack has exceeded 11,000.
Global Interference by Russia and Iran's Support
Rinkēvičs expressed concern over the activities of the Russian mercenary group Wagner in Africa and Russia's relations with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. He pointed out that Iran welcomes the current situation in the Middle East and is supporting Russia with weapons and equipment for its conflict in Ukraine.
Latvia, a former part of the Soviet Union until 1991 and a member of the EU and NATO since 2004, holds a key position on the eastern flank of the alliance.
Rinkēvičs, who served as Latvia's foreign minister for 13 years, emphasized the importance of unity within the EU and NATO in the current geopolitical situation.
