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Achieving lasting and sustainable peace in Ukraine and the need to increase pressure on Russia, the security situation in the Euro-Atlantic area and strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defence capabilities, deepening cooperation between Latvia and the US in security, defence and economy, particularly in energy, the military industry, quantum, drone and artificial intelligence technologies – these were the main issues that Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže discussed in Washington from 7 to 9 December with the US Administration, including representatives of the State Department and the Department of the Treasury, and members of Congress.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže:
“The US is our strategic ally. I thank both parties for their support for the Baltic Security Initiative, which has been and will continue to be important for strengthening Latvia’s defence capabilities. We share a common understanding and interest in strengthening defence cooperation and building a stronger and more secure NATO alliance.
US representatives highlighted Latvia as a model ally that takes its security very seriously – Latvia will allocate up to 5% of its GDP to defence by 2026. Latvia and the US share a common stance that all European allies must invest more in their defence by rapidly implementing the decisions of the NATO Hague Summit and completely sever their energy ties with Russia.
We welcomed the US efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine – Ukraine needs a just and lasting peace. I emphasised that Russia’s goals remain unchanged: to undermine support for Ukraine and to undermine the authority of the US in the world, and that the aggressor is also trying to achieve this through so-called peace talks. Russia is a long-term threat to the entire Euro-Atlantic area. Therefore, allies must continue to provide comprehensive support for Ukraine’s self-defence and exert economic, military, political and diplomatic pressure on Russia, especially through strong sanctions – these are working and negatively affecting Russia’s war economy and its ability to wage war. Sanctions must be increased against both Russia and its supporters.”
With the US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, Baiba Braže discussed Latvian-US cooperation at the bilateral and international levels – in NATO and the UN –, deepening cooperation in security, defence and the economy, investments, as well as common security challenges, including the fight against illegal migration and the instrumentalisation of migration, and strengthening border and maritime security.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže met in the U.S. Congress with senators – Lindsey Graham, Chair of the Senate Budget Committee and Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; Ted Cruz, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Member of the Foreign Relations Committee; Gary Peters, Member of the Senate Appropriations, Armed Services, and Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committees; Elissa Slotkin, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities and Member of the Committee’s Cybersecurity Subcommittee – as well as the Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Europe, Congressman Brian Mast.
Baiba Braže participated in a public discussion organised by one of the most influential US think tanks, the Hudson Institute, met with representatives of the America First Policy Institute think tank, and gave interviews to the media.
The Minister, together with the President of the American Latvian Association, Mārtiņš Andersons, and Honorary Consul John Medveckis, unveiled Ludolfs Liberts’ painting “Riga Towers” at the Latvian Embassy in the United States. In 1953, the American Latvian Association presented the painting to US President Dwight Eisenhower, and it is the only known Latvian work of art to have been exhibited in the White House.