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On 9 September 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, hosted Anita Orbán, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, who was visiting Latvia for the first time. The Ministers discussed bilateral cooperation, European security, support for Ukraine and increasing sanctions pressure on Russia.
Baiba Braže welcomed the new Hungarian government’s pro-European and transatlantic course, as well as the decision made on 8 September to expel ten Russian diplomats. The Ministers agreed that a diplomatic presence must not be used for activities that threaten national security and sovereignty.
When discussing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Baiba Braže emphasised the need to maintain the European Union’s unity and to continue the strict sanctions. In addition to the major sanction packages, regular and targeted restrictions are needed against businesses, technologies, financial schemes and supply chains that help Russia produce weapons. The Ministers also discussed Ukraine’s and Moldova’s progress towards EU membership.
Baiba Braže expressed her gratitude to Hungary for its regular participation in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission. The Ministers also discussed the upcoming EU Multiannual Financial Framework. As members of the Friends of Cohesion group, Latvia and Hungary share a common interest in maintaining adequate funding for cohesion, agriculture and regional development. Baiba Braže emphasised that the budget must also foresee adequate support for the security of the EU’s eastern border.
The parties also discussed expanding cooperation in the fields of energy, innovation and green hydrogen.
