Flickr
On 17 October 2025, during a working visit to Luxembourg, Baiba Braže met with the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Xavier Bettel and discussed bilateral cooperation in security and economics, current geopolitical challenges, support for Ukraine, and limiting Russia’s war economy. The Ministers also discussed current EU issues – work on the next multiannual budget, EU enlargement, including progress of Ukraine and Moldova in EU accession reforms, as well as the need to accelerate the development of the EU defence industry.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže: “I thank Luxembourg for its contribution to strengthening Latvia’s security by financing individual military infrastructure projects, as well as for its participation in the Drone Coalition. Luxembourg is the ninth largest investor in Latvia and we are glad that the investment volumes are increasing. Our countries are interested in expanding economic cooperation, particulary in the space industry, biomedicine, transport, and logistics.
We also discussed further support for Ukraine, the need to rapidly increase the EU’s deterrence and defence capabilities, including ones to counter the growing Russian hybrid threats – sabotage of the strategic infrastructure, instrumentalisation of migration, violations of EU and NATO airspace, cyber threats, propaganda, etc. The 19th sanctions package must be adopted urgently and the restraining of the “shadow fleet” must continue.
With regard to the EU’s multiannual budget, we agree that it is important to ensure sufficient funding for both traditional policies and new priorities, especially security. Europe must strengthen its security and defence capabilities, borders and societal resilience, competitiveness and global influence.”
The Ministers discussed cooperation on security and defence within NATO and highly appreciated the Baltic Sentry and Eastern Sentry missions launched by NATO. The Ministers also discussed developments in the Middle East.
With the President of the European Court of Auditors (ECA), Tony Murphy, and ECA Member Mikhail Kozlov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs discussed the priorities of the next EU multiannual budget, the need to reduce bureaucracy for businesses and increase the EU’s global competitiveness, support for Ukraine, and ensuring the effective implementation of EU sanctions against Russia.
Baiba Braže met with representatives of SES S.A., one of the world’s leading commercial satellite operators. The Minister pointed out that Latvia has several companies offering high-quality solutions for satellite internet connectivity and secure data transmission, as well as companies with strong expertise in the development of optical systems.
During her meeting with the Latvian diaspora in Luxembourg, the Minister expressed her gratitude for their contribution to preserving Latvian culture and identity. Baiba Braže gave an interview to Luxembourg’s leading radio station RTL.