On 8-9 May 2025, at the Saeima (the Latvian Parliament) in Riga, Artjoms Uršuļskis, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, addressed the annual international Conference of the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers, themed “Borders of Diplomacy and Diplomacy Beyond Borders”, and underlined the close and multifaceted cooperation among the Baltic states.
Addressing the participants in a session on the implementation by the Baltic states of a common foreign policy to overcome regional challenges, he emphasized: “This year, the priority areas of our trilateral cooperation are regional security and resilience, support for Ukraine, and improving regional connectivity, strengthening energy security, and attracting investment. In the face of today’s geopolitical challenges, close cooperation between parliaments and governments, and joint diplomatic efforts are of particular importance.”
The Parliamentary Secretary as the Baltic Council of Ministers (BCM) Latvian representative thanked the Baltic Assembly for its contribution to addressing important regional issues, especially security and defence, connectivity, energy, healthcare, and science. “The Baltic Assembly plays an important role in the foreign policy of the Baltic states and in deepening international cooperation,” Artjoms Ušuļskis emphasized. “For more than 30 years, the Baltic Council of Ministers and the Baltic Assembly have been working together to implement decisions essential for the Baltic states and their people.”
The session, “Joining the Baltic Voices: Executing United Foreign Policy to Tackle Regional Challenges”, was chaired by Andrejs Pildegovičs, Ambassador-at-Large, Head of the Secretariat for Latvia’s Candidacy to the UN Security Council. Speakers in the panel discussion were Jānis Vucāns, President of the Baltic Assembly, and its Vice Presidents Timo Suslov and Giedrius Drukteinis, as well as Eerik Marmei, Ambassador of Estonia to Latvia, and Valdas Lastauskas, Ambassador of Lithuania to Latvia.
The Baltic Council of Ministers (BCM) is a co-operation institution of the governments of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, established on 13 June 1994. The task of the BCM is to ensure the continuity of co-operation at the level of national executive authorities.
The Baltic Assembly (BA) is an inter-parliamentary institution jointly established by Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania on 8 November 1991.
In 2025, Latvia holds presidency of the BCM and the Baltic Assembly.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia operates as a BCM Secretariat and ensures its functioning.
For more than 20 years, the Baltic Assembly and the BCM have been jointly organising annual international conferences on diverse topics.
Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/latvianmfa/albums/72177720325988087
