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On 16 March 2026, at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, Foreign Minister Baiba Braže emphasized:
“Russia continues to attack Ukraine, supports Iran’s attacks on countries in the Middle East and the Gulf, and destabilises Africa. Russia is a common problem for all of us, and its threats remain a source of a global security crisis. All allies and like-minded partners must increase pressure on Russia – through new sanctions, including the urgent adoption of the 20th round of EU sanctions, by intensifying efforts against Russia’s shadow fleet, and by preventing attempts to circumvent sanctions. We must also continue to isolate Russia internationally, denying it access to Western technologies and severing all trade links with it.”
Baiba Braže also noted that Latvia has adopted a decision at the national level to sever economic ties with Russia by the end of 2026 and urged all EU Member States to follow Latvia’s example.
She also emphasized that the trend of “normalising Russia” is becoming increasingly evident – through sports, culture, diplomacy, and business – and urged all EU countries to stand united and prevent this from happening: no red carpets while missiles fall. “Normalising aggression is dangerous – the Kremlin uses it to test how much legitimacy and access it can regain without changing its war aims,” Baiba Braže emphasized.
The Ministers discussed the situation on the front lines, Ukraine’s most pressing needs, and developments in the Middle East with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andriy Sibih. Baiba Braže urged all EU Member States to continue providing comprehensive support to Ukraine by contributing to NATO’s PURL initiative to ensure the provision of essential military equipment to Ukraine. To date, Latvia has contributed 17.2 million euros to the initiative.
At the EU Foreign Affairs Council:
• Individual sanctions against 19 additional persons were adopted under the Iran human rights sanctions regime;
• Five additional persons (four from China and one from Iran) were added to the cyber sanctions regime in relation to cyberattacks against the EU or its Member States. Currently, 17 individuals and four organisations, mainly from Russia and China, are subject to the cyber sanctions regime;
• Under the sanctions regime regarding Ukraine’s territorial integrity, individual sanctions were adopted against nine additional individuals involved in the crimes committed in Bucha;
• The sanctions regime regarding destabilising activities carried out by Russia (hybrid threats and malicious activities) now applies to four additional individuals.
The EU Foreign Ministers discussed the security situation in the Middle East and the EU’s role, cooperation with the EU’s Southern neighbours since the entry into force of the Pact for the Mediterranean on 28 November 2025, as well as the EU Security Strategy.