On 15 July 2021, the Acting State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Atis Lots, had a meeting with the new Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Latvia, Paul Brummell. The main topics discussed were bilateral cooperation, and cooperation in regional and various international formats.
The officials praised current cooperation highlighting the successful dialogue on security and the protection of democratic values, as well as opportunities for cooperation in addressing global challenges related to climate, health, and equality. Active work is ongoing to jointly resolve issues faced by citizens of Latvia and the UK as they adjust to the new circumstances after the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.
Atis Lots underlined that security is one of the priorities in cooperation with the United Kingdom, both countries having a common understanding of threats for Europe and what should be done to enhance security of the transatlantic space. The diplomats noted the successful cooperation between Latvia and the UK in bilateral and multilateral projects in the defence sector. They were in agreement about the need to use, as much as possible, the format of NB8+UK, which is a flexible format of like-minded partners that makes it possible to effectively address matters important for the region.
Ambassador Paul Brummell has been posted as the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Romania, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan.
The Ambassador’s accreditation with the President of Latvia, Egils Levits, has been scheduled for 16 July.