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On 11 September 2026, in Riga, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, met with Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who was paying an official visit to Latvia. The discussion focused on support for Ukraine, the return of deported Ukrainian children, holding Russia accountable, and strengthening democracy and the rule of law in Europe.
The Minister emphasised the Council of Europe’s special role in securing the return of abducted Ukrainian children. The officials reaffirmed the need to continue supporting Ukraine, which remains a priority for both Latvia and the Council of Europe.
They also stressed that the inevitability of accountability is one of the most essential prerequisites for the rule of law and security in Europe, as well as for the resilience of democracy. Latvia highly values the European Parliament’s leading role in establishing accountability mechanisms, including its contribution to the creation of a Special Tribunal. Its task will be to ensure that Russia is held accountable for the crime of aggression against Ukraine and its people.
Alain Berset also addressed the New Democratic Pact for Europe, which is being designed to address the root causes of democratic decline and strengthen democratic governance. Latvia supports this initiative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. A Latvian representative is one of 12 experts elected by the member states Council of Europe to develop common standards for combating foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI).
The Minister praised the Council of Europe’s work to create and strengthen a common legal space, including through the Chișinău Declaration on Migration, which was adopted in May. The declaration acknowledges the challenges associated with the instrumentalisation of migration, while respecting the independence and autonomy of the European Court of Human Rights.
