Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with President Egils Levits in Riga on Monday (29 November 2021), ahead of this week’s meeting of Foreign Ministers taking place in the Latvian capital.
The Secretary General praised Latvia’s commitment to NATO, saying: “you lead by example on defence spending, committing more than 2% of GDP to defence, investing in major equipment and you contribute actively to regional exercises, ensuring our forces are well trained and prepared”.
The leaders discussed NATO’s deterrent presence in the region and the broader security environment, including Russia’s military build-up near the Ukrainian border for the second time this year, as well as the situation on the border with Belarus. “We remain vigilant, and stand ready to help Allies,” said the Secretary General.
Earlier on Monday, Mr Stoltenberg visited NATO’s Canadian-led multinational battlegroup at Camp Ādaži, joined by Defence Minister Artis Pabriks of Latvia and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly of Canada. The Secretary General thanked the troops, stressing that, alongside 10 Allies, Latvian forces serve “to deter aggression and preserve peace” in the region. These forces “send a clear message: an attack on one Ally is an attack on all Allies… they show the continuing strength of the transatlantic bond” said Mr Stoltenberg.
The Secretary General will chair meetings of NATO Foreign Ministers in Riga on Tuesday and Wednesday.