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Mr President,
Madam Speaker,
Members of the Presidium,
Madam Prime Minister,
Ministerial colleagues,
Members of Parliament,
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen!
I congratulate you all as we mark 105 years of Latvia’s international recognition! I would like to express my gratitude to the foreign service, the President, the Prime Minister, colleagues in the government and Parliament, and the entire Latvian people for their cooperation and involvement in representing Latvia globally during this very eventful year.
I will begin on a solemn note as we have lost several extraordinary Latvians in a short span of time. Nora Ikstena, Kārlis Bardelis, Imants Freibergs, Uļjana Semjonova. They remain in our thoughts and hearts. No, they were not professional diplomats, but each in their own way represented Latvia and helped raise Latvia to greater heights. And spread Latvia’s name around the world.
“We own as much as we can earn with our own hands, build with our own spirit, invent with our own minds. [..] We are lost if we wait for others to lift us up, acknowledge us, strengthen us, defend us, and cherish us.”
These words by Zenta Mauriņa appear to be written for this present moment in time. A time when it has become fashionable to say that the world is falling apart. But the world is not falling apart. What is falling apart are unfounded expectations that our democracy, security, and prosperity will be more important to someone else than to ourselves. That the responsibility for European security lies solely with the United States. That Russia will supply us with cheap oil and gas. Or, that China’s market and technologies will ensure economic growth.
No, it is the Latvian people who hold responsibility for Latvia. And nothing is more important than our security.
Our mission is clear. Investing 5% of GDP in defence, strengthening our borders and internal security, expanding the allied presence, maintaining close transatlantic relations with Canada and the United States, continuing our support for Ukraine, weakening Russia, and working together with like-minded and peace-minded countries around the world.
That is why we serve on the UN Security Council: to defend our values and those of like-minded, peace-honouring nations, and the fundamental principles of international relations.
We are doing this together with our friends, allies, and like-minded partners around the world.
It is worth remembering why we are having this debate in January. This week marks 105 years since Latvia’s international (de iure) recognition. It did not happen by chance. It was achieved through the dedicated and persistent efforts of the diplomatic service. Through explaining and convincing that we are our own people, that we have our own country, and that an independent Latvia is here to stay. This is what we achieved.
Similarly, today, our foreign policy is built on close cooperation with all of you, as well as with our allies and partners across the globe. Our foreign policy is our shield. A shield to defend Latvia’s peace, ensure its growth, and care for our people around the world.
At the same time, we must not lose sight of the bigger picture. Not everything is doom and gloom. Good things have happened in the world over the past year. The situation in the Middle East is more stable than it was a year ago. Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist networks have been weakened. Iran’s nuclear programme has been halted for some time. The people of Venezuela are rejoicing in their freedom from dictatorship. In the South Caucasus, a historic reconciliation has been achieved between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In Syria, Venezuela, and Iran – Putin’s allies have either fallen or been weakened. And yes, the United States and President Trump played a significant role in all of these developments.
Thank you to all our partners who are taking action, supporting Ukraine, imposing sanctions on Russia, and cooperating internationally to ensure that the principles of international law and order prevail. In the past year, we succeeded in preventing Russia from being elected to ten international organisations. This year, the world has again shown that it fully understands the nature of Russia’s aggression. This week, Russia sought election to the UN Conference on Crimes against Humanity Preparatory Committee. Imagine, Russia on the the Crimes against Humanity Preparatory Committee. Of course, it was not elected. It suffered defeat. Victory went to Ukraine and Slovenia.
However, there are still no signs that the butcher in the Kremlin is ready for peace. Putin’s regime is war – a war economy, war propaganda, war religion, repression, censorship, even an education system that brainwashes children from an early age.
Millions of Ukrainians are spending this winter without heat, electricity, water. But never without faith and fighting spirit. Ukrainians continue to heroically defend their will to live in a free, independent country, and we understand this better than anyone. Ukrainians stand for the right to decide their own future. Ukraine is, will be, and will remain a living and free democracy.
Unfortunately, when it comes to peace talks, it is possible that the peace achieved in Ukraine, when it comes, may not be just. At the same time, the leaders of Ukraine, the United States, and Europe have made great efforts to secure sustainable peace and security guarantees in Ukraine.
Of course, with the decision of the Saeima and political unity, we believe we must take part in guaranteeing this peace, because the outcome of the war in Ukraine will affect the security of all of Europe and the world.
For this reason, all democracies and like-minded countries around the world must wake up. We must be confident in our values and ready to defend them. Military power and the technological edge will determine how we live in the future. All allies in Europe, Canada, and elsewhere must develop their defence and deterrence capabilities as quickly as possible. A common shield of values and strength.
Ladies and gentlemen, the elections are approaching. How they will turn out... what the outcome will be, we do not know. But all nationally-minded parties must stay particularly vigilant during the election years. We have the duty to protect elections as one of the foundations of a democratic Latvian state. Russia’s behaviour to date indicates that it will escalate non-military attempts to intimidate and divide our society. This assessment is shared in the annual report published this week by the Constitution Protection Bureau.
We witnessed how Russia attempted to ‘steal’ the elections in Moldova through intimidation, disinformation, cryptocurrencies, and corruption schemes. The example of Moldova shows that democracy is capable of defending itself against external interference. I have no doubt that Latvia will be able to do the same.
This year, we experienced an attempt to pull Latvia out of the core value space of Europe. But together we stood our ground. We must not allow ourselves to be divided. Because we in Latvia share much more in common than we have differences. Because all of us oppose violence against women and families. And we have only one Latvia.
Honourable members of Parliament!
Last year, the foreign service focused on three main areas, which you can also see in the Foreign Minister’s Annual Report:
- Latvia’s security and defence, economic growth and improved welfare;
- public involvement in foreign policy;
- support for our people abroad and the diaspora.
Security is the basis for everything. Without security, there is no prosperity. Without security, there is no development. Without security, children will not be born in Latvia. New investors will not come.
And that is why Latvia acts to bolster its security, instead of talking the talk. We are among NATO’s leaders because we agreed and acted, investing 5% of our GDP in defence, thereby implementing our collective decision made at the NATO Summit in The Hague. These investments will further strengthen deterrence and defence capabilities, develop Latvia’s military industry, and increase the allied presence of allies in Latvia.
And we have more and more allies here in Latvia.
Cooperation between the countries of the Baltic Sea region – including the Baltic and Nordic countries, Poland, and Germany – has become increasingly close. We are building a new regional core and working together to counter various threats, including hybrid threats, in the Baltic Sea region.
We are deeply grateful to our 14 allies for their participation in the NATO Multinational Brigade here in Latvia, led by Canada. Thank you to Canada for its leadership and its decision to extend the mandate of the armed forces mission until 2029. Thank you to Albania, Czechia, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, North Macedonia, and Sweden. And Denmark, which rotates with Sweden every six months. We are also grateful to our US allies, who stand with us in Latvia and elsewhere. We value the joint training, exercises, and the further strengthening of our military cooperation.
We are also grateful to those NATO countries that patrol our airspace and whose ships are in the Baltic Sea.
The Latvian people deeply value your cooperation with us in defending our common security.
We also expect and will work to ensure that all allies demonstrate significant progress towards the 5% of GDP defence spending target at the NATO Summit in Ankara.
It should also be emphasised that, in our opinion, further strengthening of NATO’s eastern flank deterrence and defence is necessary, with particular priority given to air defence capabilities.
NATO’s presence has also been significantly strengthened at sea – with the Baltic Sentry mission, and in the air – with the Eastern Sentry mission. Since the launch of these missions, there have been no new incidents. Deterrence through physical presence is effective.
Arctic security has also become a priority on NATO’s agenda. There is no doubt that allies must strengthen their presence, carry out exercises, and invest in surveillance and deterrence capabilities in the Arctic. This item has been on NATO’s agenda since its foundation.
We believe that allies can resolve any differences of opinion, including those between European countries and the United States, through direct dialogue and cooperation.
Transatlantic cooperation is one of the cornerstones of our security.
The political, military, and economic presence of the United States and Canada is essential for the security and stability of Latvia and all of Europe. We are grateful to Canada for strengthening its military presence in Latvia ahead of schedule and investing in our infrastructure. It is our goal to deepen our military industrial and economic cooperation.
We have actively collaborated with the United States administration at all levels. We highly value President Trump’s efforts to achieve a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine.
I would like to express my gratitude to all of our parliamentarians who have engaged in an extensive dialogue with partners in the United States, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and all member states. All of this helps to strengthen the reputation of Latvia and the Baltic states as reliable and determined allies.
The active joint efforts of Latvia and the Baltic states has produced positive results. The United States Congress has included military funding for the Baltic Security Initiative in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2026. This represents a practical investment in the security of the Baltic states and for that we are grateful to our United States allies.
We will continue to deepen our bilateral cooperation with the United States by raising awareness of issues important to us within the United States Administration, Congress, business community, think-tanks, and innovation sector.
We will work together to move forward on the negotiations begun last year on expanding the United States military presence in Latvia. We are ready to host more American troops.
Cooperation within the European Union is just as crucial for Latvia’s security and prosperity.
In the previous year, the European Union experienced the most rapid development in the field of security and defence in its history.
European Union Member States have taken very important decisions to increase defence funding, both by allowing flexibility in the European Union’s fiscal rules and by offering a new instrument, SAFE. This provides for joint procurement by Member States, support for the defence industry, and the development of defence capabilities, including in cooperation with non-EU countries. The European Commission has approved Latvia’s defence investment plan, which amounts to approximately EUR 3.5 billion and will be dedicated to strengthening Latvia’s defence capabilities.
On the next step. The European Union’s multiannual budget. It will be the first one where security is the central priority. It is probably the first time that one of the European Union’s guiding principles is so clearly aligned with Latvia’s interests and needs. Russia’s war in Ukraine has had a serious impact on the security, economic growth, and development countries on the external borders of the European Union and the eastern flank of the European Union. This reality must be taken into account in the negotiations on the next European Union’s multiannual budget. The negotiations ahead will be very complex because, unlike the current budget, the next one will not include additional funds from the so-called Recovery and Resilience Plan.
In preparing Latvia’s position, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs managed, through a complex process, to reach agreement between various sectors, some of which had conflicting interests. Further negotiations will be our joint effort and lobbying – involving members of parliament, diplomats, sectoral ministers, industry, non-governmental organisations, and, yes, the public and journalists. Every industry will have to fight for the most favourable conditions for Latvian businesses in the negotiations.
We will work to secure adequate funding for Latvia, both in terms of cohesion funding and fair direct payments for our farmers. Because currently, although our ‘national envelope’ is larger in monetary terms, its distribution and calculations are, in our opinion, not fair.
We know that we are safeguarding the entire eastern border of the European Union. the entire eastern border of the European Union. Therefore, we constantly call on other Member States to help strengthen the external border and promote the development of border regions.
The share of the European Union budget earmarked for transport links is planned to be increased, including for European Union military mobility.
The security of the eastern flank, I repeat, is a priority for the European Commission and the entire European Union. That is why this year, together with the Baltic states, Poland, and Finland, we are preparing specific projects.
We must seek out and seize opportunities. We are pleased that Latvian companies successfully participated in European defence industry programmes and projects last year. The European Commission has supported nine Latvian projects submitted by our companies. We expect active participation from Latvian companies again this year, and we will support them to the fullest extent possible.
Last year ended with great news for Latvia – the Latvian university start-up association UniLab Defence officially became the NATO DIANA Innovation center in Latvia. And for the first time, a Latvian company also received support under the programme. I expect this to be the first of many.
Over the past year, our embassies abroad organised over 10 events related to military industry. This translated into new contracts, contacts, and export opportunities. A shining example is the support provided by our embassy in Germany to the Rheinmetall project, which plans to invest more than EUR 200 million in Latvia.
On enlargement. The enlargement of the European Union strengthens both the security and prosperity of Europe’s neighbours and our own. We know this from our own experience. The European Commission has acknowledged that four countries – Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro, and Albania – have made distinct progress over the past year and moved closer to the European Union. This aligns with our assessment.
The process is not quick or simple, and for all candidate countries it is based on criteria. We are disappointed that one country is blocking the opening of negotiations with Ukraine. Even though the Commission has clearly stated that Ukraine has fulfilled all the preconditions for this to happen
Support for Ukraine is and will remain our priority.
Our diplomats are working tirelessly here in Riga, in Kyiv, and in all our missions around the world to provide maximum support for Ukraine’s fight for freedom. In part due to Latvia’s active involvement, Ukraine will receive financial support. The European Union Member States are granting Ukraine EUR 90 billion for 2026 and 2027. This financing is backed by Russia’s frozen assets.
I would like to express my deepest heartfelt gratitude to all Latvian people, companies, and everyone who has helped Ukraine. We heard words of gratitude to Latvia from the President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, from nurses at the Chernihiv hospital and children at the music school, and from women who have received support at crisis centres.
We will maintain our support this year. Our priorities are supporting Ukraine’s self-defence capabilities, continuing training of Ukrainian troops, and the energy sector. At the same time, cooperation between our defence industries, including drone companies and others.
We have also made significant progress in holding Russia accountable for its aggression and crimes against the Ukrainian people and state. We have been actively working on this. Specific steps have been taken to establish a special tribunal for bringing those responsible to justice. We are establishing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine.
Restricting and constraining Russia was, is, and will continue to be one of Latvia’s security priorities. Four bloody years of war have helped many of our allies in the European Union and NATO, as well as our partners around the world, to understand the aggressor and its imperialistic ambitions and lies. The butcher in the Kremlin has nothing to do with genuine peace.
Sanctions diminish Russia’s ability to wage war. They must be strengthened to force Russia toward peace. Less money, less technology, less capacity to wage war.
Contrary to what Kremlin propagandists are saying, sanctions work. This is evidenced by the decline of Russia’s war economy. This is confirmed by the fact that Russia is investing enormous resources in trying to get sanctions lifted or watered down.
It is a positive development that an agreement has been reached at the European level to impose sanctions on ‘shadow fleet’ vessels swiftly, without the need to include them in the main [sanctions] packages. We called for this in November, and in December this practice began.
Russia’s frozen assets must be immediately redirected to Ukraine’s self-defence.
The long-standing calls of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to stop trade and divest assets in Russia are bearing fruit. We call on other countries to do the same. Cooperation with the aggressor is both immoral and risky. This year, the next year, and for years to come.
Sanctions against Russia are and will continue to be strengthened in areas that continue to generate the most revenue for Russia: Russia’s financial sector, including the cryptocurrency infrastructure, the military and industrial sector, trade, and others.
We are one of the few European Union Member States to have submitted proposals for every round of European sanctions to date. We also greatly appreciate the work of our members in the European Parliament, who supported decisions on accelerating a ban on imports of Russian gas and oil. The European Union has agreed on this, and this ban will be implemented on 1 January next year.
In the context of sanctions implementation, I always remind my colleagues in the European Union that 80% of the cargoes at our border does not originate in Latvia. These are goods exported from other European Union Member States. Yet, the burden of sanctions enforcement continues to fall on the shoulders of our services.
Therefore, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Customs Control, the Financial Intelligence Unit of Latvia, and all other services involved for their excellent work. We are truly a model for other European Union countries in terms of sanctions control. Other member states learn from us. This is acknowledged by David O’Sullivan, the European Union’s Sanctions Envoy, who has visited Latvia three times already. We will continue to support other countries so that other European Union countries also introduce effective sanctions control mechanisms. This is a national responsibility.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to our journalists and the public for their tireless work in helping to uncover and expose attempts to circumvent sanctions. This engagement is useful in our work and in the work of our colleagues.
Sanctions pressure against Russia must continue at both EU and national level, aligning the sanctions imposed against Russia and Belarus. Belarus continues to openly support Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Lukashenko regime carries out hybrid attacks on neighbouring countries. In our view, sanctions should be imposed or strengthened against all those who support Russia’s aggression directly or by helping to circumvent sanctions.
We will continue to categorically oppose any attempts to weaken sanctions, including political pressure, intimidation, slander, and campaigns. I experienced this personally last year.
Sanctions are a matter of our security. Latvia has undertaken significant efforts in the field of sanctions, but we can do even more at the national level. We have also established a national sanctions regime against those involved in supporting Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. We regularly update the persona non grata list, including through the vigilance of the public and the media, denying them entry into Latvia. We have restricted the ability of Russian diplomats to move freely within the Schengen area.
Regardless of their field of work, persons who threaten our security are persona non grata in Latvia. Let me reiterate: Russian and Belarusian athletes are not welcome in Latvia. I call on the Saeima to issue a statement supporting our athletes by prohibiting athletes from aggressor countries from entering Latvia. The same applies to artists and others who support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They have no place in Latvia.
Turning to our work on the UN Security Council. On 1 January, we began our term on the UN Security Council for the first time in Latvia’s history. This is the most important diplomatic table in the world. It is an opportunity, and we are making the most of it. This is also a matter of security.
During our first days in office, we took the opportunity to convene an emergency meeting of the Security Council. The first of these aimed to bring attention to Russia’s barbaric attacks against Ukraine. We will continue doing so. When I visited Ukraine in November, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, said: Latvia’s membership in the UN Security Council is also a victory for Ukraine. The Ukrainians are counting on us. We have also expressed solidarity with both the Iranian and Venezuelan people.
Of course, there have been significant developments in both of these cases. But I also hope that today we will support the inclusion of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the European Union’s list of terrorist organisations, as colleagues meet in Brussels today in the format of the Foreign Affairs Council.
When Latvia opposes the use of force to change borders, speaking out against Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, this message is understood and heard by countries on other continents. Because they too have concerns about borders and territorial integrity.
Iran and North Korea are directly supporting Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine.
China remains the greatest enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Without China’s support, Russia would have already lost this war. Such support for aggression is unacceptable to Latvia. We have also communicated this directly to the Chinese side.
Peace and security in Africa affect the spread of terrorism and organised crime, illegal migration, and wider security in Europe. Russia is active across many parts of Africa and exploits African citizens, as well as people from other continents, as media reports from Ukraine show. These people are sent in the meatgrinder to the front lines on the Russian side to kill Ukrainians, and many are killed in the process.
In the Middle East, the Iranian regime has been significantly weakened. This will have an overall positive impact on the security situation in the Middle East and the wider region. The collapse of the Assad regime in Syria has created opportunities for a more peaceful landscape both in Syria itself and in the Middle East, reducing migratory pressure on Europe.
The second major pillar of our activities is the economy. We help to promote Latvia’s economic development. The foreign service is a team. A team dedicated to supporting our entrepreneurs. Each of our embassies actively works to support Latvia in attracting additional revenue. We also set this goal for our new diplomats, providing training, setting specific objectives, and supporting their implementation into their daily work.
The foreign policy report contains numerous concrete examples of how the service has helped Latvian entrepreneurs to diversify their export markets. I hope that this will encourage more and more new entrepreneurs to turn to us. Entrepreneurs, you are the backbone of our economy!
In the first nine months of 2025, Latvia’s exports of goods and services grew by 5.6%. Through the joint efforts of our service, LIAA, and our representative offices, we have made major breakthroughs in the 15 largest partner markets. This year, as is now customary, we will organise a business exchange during the Honorary Consuls’ meeting and continue our practical work with business associations on region-specific topics, including organising visits with business delegations and opening doors to new opportunities.
We are proactively working with the most promising industries. For example, in Germany, the embassy has been establishing contacts with German officials, local governments, and forums specifically in the field of information and communication technologies for several years. We can see that this works has paid off and is delivering real results. Last year, exports of information and communication technology services to Germany grew by 20%.
The foreign service, together with business organisations and major exporters, ensured that our interests were ensured for key export industries, including the timber industry, in negotiations with the US. Even if these are minor changes in the overall European Union perspective, they were significant for Latvia, and we succeeded.
Similarly, on our initiative and in close cooperation with the academic and private sectors, we did everything we could to lift the previous United States Administration’s export restrictions on high-performance artificial intelligence chips. In May, the United States lifted these regulations. This allows our entrepreneurs and researchers to participate in global projects.
This year, we will continue to support Latvian entrepreneurs in both European and North American countries, deepening cooperation in quantum technologies, drone manufacturing, language and artificial intelligence technologies, and other areas.
I would like to emphasise that, in our view, it is important for Latvia to open new embassies. South America, the Asia-Pacific region, the Gulf region, and Africa are regions of interest for our entrepreneurs, where they have interests and where they need support in exports, establishing contacts, and further work, especially in light of the new European Union trade agreements.
EU free trade agreements present trade opportunities for Latvian exporting companies. We fully support the provisional application of the European Union – Mercosur Agreement, even before consent by the European Parliament. This will promote Latvian exports in new markets and the creation of new jobs.
The same will apply to the conclusion of negotiations on the free trade agreement between the European Union and India, on which political agreement has just been reached. The negotiations, which began 20 years ago, culminated in an ambitious agreement, creating a free trade area with two billion consumers. The benefits of such agreements are very concrete.
A couple of weeks ago, during a regional visit to Valmiera, when visiting the company Valmiera Glass, their first question was when tariffs in the Mercosur region would be abolished. Currently, they are at approximately 30 % for industrial products. The same applies to certification barriers. Our fish producers, fish product manufacturers and others who have tried to enter various markets but have been hampered by certification and tariff requirements.
When it comes to attracting investment, we work very closely with the Latvian Investment and Development Agency, the Ministry of Economics, all other necessary institutions, and local governments.
Last year, foreign investors rated Latvia as the most attractive investment environment in the Baltics. A study by Ernst & Young confirms that Latvia, with 33 major investment projects, is the leader in attracting foreign investment among the Baltic states. This is the result of joint efforts by entrepreneurs and the government. In times of uncertainty, the foreign service has a crucial role in convincing investors that Latvia is a safe and stable environment, that it can supply critical elements of the supply chain to partners, and that investors can prosper here.
It is also important to maintain relations with potential investors so that they continue to be interested in Latvia and invest in the further development of their businesses.
The foreign policy report includes a new section entitled Technology and Innovation. The accelerating pace of technological development means that quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, microchips, 6G, space, and biomedicine are at the centre of geopolitical competition.
And Europe has enormous potential in these areas. However, it lags behind in the speed at which innovations are commercialised. Therefore, we will continue to work closely with both scientists and businesses to find practical solutions that serve our mutual interests. We will also continue to support the international partnerships of the Latvian quantum community. This is an area where competition is particularly fierce. It is therefore important for Latvia to join and establish itself as a top-tier player both within the European Union and NATO.
Last week, Latvia hosted the world’s largest quantum computing conference. It brought together scientists from all over the world who work in this field.
Simplifying regulation is crucial for the competitiveness of both Latvia and Europe as whole. Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis has achieved a great deal in the area of simplification, and this work will continue. I also call on our MEPs to do their utmost to convince their colleagues in the European Parliament to adopt the so-called simplification packages or omnibus bills, which are extremely important for facilitating the work of our entrepreneurs.
When it comes to migration, a topic that has prompted much debate, the government’s position is absolutely clear: NO to illegal migration. We have strengthened border protection. The fence has been completed, and I would like to thank the State Border Guard, the Latvian National Guard, and other services for their dedicated work 24/7, day and night, preventing more than 12,000 instrumentalised migrants from entering Latvia. We are ready to share our experience and expertise with other European countries within the framework of the EU solidarity mechanism. However, as the Minister of the Interior has already emphasised, Latvia will not accept new migrants and will not pay for them. We will provide support and assistance to other countries.
Speaking of development cooperation, last year we created a new concept and also a new brand, LATDEV. These successfully implemented development cooperation projects, for which we provide seed money, not only help the target country, but also raise Latvia’s visibility, enhance opportunities for cooperation with other countries, and promote the export of Latvian services.
Last year, the projects predominantly focused on Ukraine, where 16 projects were implemented, most of them in support of Ukraine’s European integration, good governance, and the health sector.
For every euro we invest, we are able to attract four euros in foreign funding, and this year the Central Finance and Contracting Agency (CFCA) has become the leading partner and sole implementer of two major international projects abroad.
Looking ahead, we have begun preparations for Latvia’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2028. This will take place in the last six months of the term of the European Commission and the European Parliament. This means that the legislative cycle will come to an end and we will have to complete a very substantial amount of work on the development of European Union legislation. This will involve intensive work with EU Member States and the European Parliament.
The Presidency will also coincide with the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the Latvian state. We must use these opportunities to showcase Latvia’s values, Latvian identity, development, and achievements. For example, new translations of Latvian authors’ books into English would be a great initiative and presidency gift. This was already the case with the ‘Latvia 100’ initiative, during which many works by Latvian authors were translated. In our view, this initiative should be continued.
The third pillar of our work is care for Latvia’s people around the world.
We provide support to our people in a wide range of crisis situations. For example, we helped 42 Latvian nationals and their family members to leave Israel during last year’s crisis.
We also value the return of five Latvian nationals from Belarus. Three of them were political prisoners. The United States had a very important role in this process. Thank you for that.
Once again, a reminder to all residents of Latvia – do not travel to Russia and Belarus! The risks to your safety and your life are not worth it. The Latvian people who ended up in Belarusian prisons were businesspeople and ordinary citizens who made daily trips to Belarus. Even in their worst nightmares, they never imagined that they could be arrested. We will do everything we can as diplomats to help. But first and foremost, do not put yourselves at risk, because it may not always be possible to help.
Since October of last year, a new Consular Register is available, making it easier for travellers to register their trips abroad. This enables the consular service to provide effective assistance in crisis situations. Please register and tell everyone you know about it.
Speaking of the diaspora, Latvians, of course, take advantage of the extensive mobility opportunities to work, study, and travel. More than a fifth of Latvian nationals live outside the country’s borders, either on a temporary or permanent basis. Of course, it is very important for the foreign service to maintain contacts, and support Latvian identity and language. And to make a practical contribution to ties with our people abroad.
I would like to note that our diaspora has impressive economic potential. According to the large-scale study conducted by the University of Latvia Centre for Diaspora and Migration Research in 2025, the diaspora brings in around EUR 1 billion to Latvia each year.
We want our people back. We are working with our embassies, but also here in Latvia, to help our people maintain contact, return home, and make the most of their talents and knowledge here in Latvia.
Societal resilience, countering disinformation, and promoting messages important to Latvia in countries of residence are areas in which we will be working particularly actively with diaspora organisations this year, including in the context of the upcoming Saeima elections.
The foreign policy report also devotes considerable attention to public engagement in foreign policy. We are deeply grateful to non-governmental organisations, journalists, and the wider society for their contribution, both internationally, in promoting Latvia’s standing globally, and for their active engagement in dialogue with us. And especially to the experts who provide us with valuable advice.
Dear Members of Parliament, ladies and gentlemen!
Those who excel among us do not wait. They do not make loud announcements; they simply get to work.
The creators of Flow, volunteers of the National Defence Service, beach volleyball players, javelin throwers, quantum scientists, drone manufacturers, choirs, dancers, and Tilde which developed the first European large language model. They seize initiative and continue working until they have given their very best. They do the best they can. On their conscience.
We look to them as an example. And we do not expect anyone else to do anything for us. Because in the end, the song is not about shirts, the song is about conscience.
Long live Latvia!