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On 29 and 30 October 2025, as part of her working visit to France, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, met with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Jean-Noël Barrot, for a discussion on bilateral and economic cooperation, the development of the European defence industry, and strengthening the EU and NATO’s external border, support to Ukraine and putting pressure on Russia, including work on the next package of sanctions, and issues of current importance for the EU – measures against the instrumentalisation of migrants, priorities for the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework, and the process of EU enlargement.
The Ministers also discussed transatlantic relations, cooperation in NATO and other international formats, and Latvia’s priorities for its term on the UN Security Council (2026-2027). France is one of the five permanent members of the UNSC.
Foreign Minister Baiba Braže:
“Let me thank France for support provided to Ukraine, including its leadership in the Coalition of the Willing, and for its significant contribution to strengthening NATO’s eastern flank – the presence of French soldiers in the NATO multinational brigade in Estonia and in the Eastern Sentry in Poland. We welcome France’s participation in the Drone Coalition led by Latvia and the UK.
We are unanimous – sanctions are working, they are negatively affecting the Russian economy, and we must continue our joint efforts to exert all kinds of pressure on Russia – to strengthen sanctions, prevent their circumvention and, in coordination with our Allies, take action against the shadow fleet and its ecosystem, including insurance and maintenance companies. I emphasize that the circumvention of sanctions and Russia’s hybrid threats, including the instrumentalization of migration, create an additional burden for Latvia and security risks for all EU Member States. Therefore, it is important for Latvia in protecting the EU and NATO’s external border to receive practical support and solidarity at the EU level, also under the EU’s next long-term budget.
We also exchanged views on economic cooperation, notably in the military industry, where good groundwork has already been laid, for instance, in the field of drone technologies.”
Baiba Braže thanked Jean-Noël Barrot for a significant contribution by France to providing teachers in Latvia with opportunities for learning the French language and improving their professional competence.
The Foreign Minister met with the French Secretary-General for Defense and National Security, Nicolas Roche, the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, and former President of Chile and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet.
The Minister held and exchange of views with the Vice-President for Europe at the largest business association in France, the Movement of Enterprises of France (MEDEF), Fabrice Le Saché, about the potential for economic cooperation between Latvia and France in ICT, innovations and new technologies. France is the 13th largest foreign trade partner to Latvia. The Foreign Minister underlined that Latvia’s strengths lie in the second most competitive tax system in the OECD, qualified workforce, one of the fastest-growing startup ecosystems in Europe, digitalized public administration services, and a developed transport and telecommunications infrastructure.
In a discussion at the Paris Peace Forum together with the French Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Benjamin Haddad, Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksandr Mishchenko, and the Head of the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments at the European Commission, Peter Wagner, Baiba Braže underlined:
“Our shared priority is to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and constrain Russia, rendering it uncapable of rebuilding its military capabilities and deterring it from repeated attacks. This will be the best security guarantee for Europe.”
Baiba Braže took part in the International High level Conference on Information Integrity and Independent Media and presented the progress made by Latvia in supporting independent media and combating disinformation. She also briefed those present about an artificial intelligence (AI) laboratory created under the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence.
The Minister gave interviews to French media outlets – the Talking Europe programme on France24 television channel, and Le Monde.