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On 19 May 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, met with the Speaker of the Parliament of Finland, Jussi Halla-aho, who is paying a working visit to Latvia.
During the meeting, the Foreign Minister expressed satisfaction with bilateral relations between Latvia and Finland, including parliamentary ties, which have expanded in recent years. The Minister particularly highlighted the good cooperation between the two countries in the defence industry sector, noting that both countries are contributing to strengthening the capabilities of the armed forces and promoting economic development.
Baiba Braže and Jussi Halla-aho exchanged views on security challenges in the Baltic Sea region, including incidents involving drones entering Baltic and Finnish airspace. The officials agreed that it is necessary to maintain calm and ensure swift and truthful communication with the public, as such incidents are likely to continue for as long as Russia continues its war of aggression against Ukraine. During the conversation, the Minister reaffirmed that Latvia has not granted permission to any country to use its territory and airspace for drone attacks against targets in Russia.
Latvia and Finland share a common interest in strengthening the eastern flank, and both countries advocate for the security of the eastern external border to be among the priorities on the European Union (EU) and NATO agendas.
The officials also reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and called for increased pressure on Russia. Baiba Braže pointed out that cooperation must continue both within the framework of the Baltic and Nordic countries (NB8) and in other formats, developing a unified policy to contain Russia, including by preparing a strong 21st round of EU sanctions.
