On 18 and 19 January 2024, the Political Directors of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Baltic States and Nordic countries (Nordic-Baltic Eight, NB8) gathered in Stockholm, Sweden, for a meeting, at which Latvia was represented by the Deputy State Secretary, Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andžejs Viļumsons.
The focus of the meeting was on current developments in Ukraine and the urgent military and financial support it needs, the long-term threat posed by Russia to the Baltic-Nordic region, as well as coordination of cooperation in relations with Belarus. Undivided attention was devoted to the Middle East, including the crisis in the Red Sea.
In the current geopolitical environment, the Baltic and Nordic countries are facing similar challenges; consequently, the Political Directors agreed that coordination of NB8 cooperation was more important than ever. A single and robust platform of the NB8 countries opens up broader opportunities for the protection of common interests and influence on global events.
Background information
The NB8 cooperation format comprises Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. This January, Sweden took over from Latvia the coordination of the NB8 format.