The EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028-2034) and funding for defence and security, strengthening the EU’s competitiveness by balancing the transition to the Green Deal with support for businesses, support to Ukraine, including for its path to the EU membership, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Baiba Braže, the priorities of the Danish EU presidency, to be taken over from Poland on 1 July – those were the main topics discussed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, with the Minister for European Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark, Marie Bjerre. The latter has arrived in Riga for a two-day visit (5–6 March 2025).
Baiba Braže thanked Marie Bjerre for Denmark’s contribution to strengthening security in Latvia and the region as a whole: since August 2024, Denmark has been part, on a rotational basis, of the NATO Multinational Brigade in Latvia, as well as providing command of the NATO Multinational Division North as from 17 August 2023.
The ministers agreed that European unity and cooperation, both in defence and in enhancing the EU’s overall resilience and competitiveness, are of crucial importance today.
Foreign Minister Baiba Braže: “Latvia and Denmark are close allies at the bilateral and regional level, in the EU, NATO and other international organisations. Our position is unyielding and united on everything concerning security and defence, including Ukraine. Latvia and Denmark have been among Ukraine’s largest supporters since the day one, and this is not going to change. We agree that the EU must support Ukraine more, and do it faster, including through its European integration process. Europe must also rapidly strengthen its defence capabilities and military industry. We welcome the European Commission’s comprehensive plan to strengthen European defence and unlock up to EUR 800 billion towards immediate military support to Ukraine. At the same time, efforts must continue to constrain Russia, which remains the biggest threat to the entire Europe.”
In a discussion on current security challenges facing the region, Baiba Braže highlighted the regular hybrid threats and other unconventional attacks by Russia – cyberattacks, manipulation in the information space, instrumentalisation of migration, attempts to influence internal electoral processes, sabotage, recent incidents of cable damage in the Baltic Sea. The ministers welcomed the ongoing bilateral and regional (NB6 un NB8) cooperation to curb the “shadow fleet” as part of sanctions against Russia, and cooperation on the protection of infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region.
In the context of sanctions against Russia, Baiba Braže informed the Danish minister about the work of Latvia’s competent authorities – the Border Guard and customs – at the external border of Latvia, which is also the external border of the EU and NATO. As regards the circumvention of sanctions on land, she underlined that 80% of all export declarations passing through Latvia as the EU’s external border have originated in other EU Member States. In addition, Latvian customs authorities have established that 90% of sanctions violations are related to export declarations issued in other EU Member States.
The Ministers agreed on the need to strengthen the EU’s energy independence, including by further advancing green energy. At the same time, Baiba Braže stressed that the green transformation must be in balance with ensuring EU competitiveness, so that EU entrepreneurs are not put at a disadvantage relative to other businesses. The Ministers also agreed on the need to move ahead with the EU’s digital development.
In a conversation with the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dace Melbārde, Marie Bjerre shared views on the priorities set by the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU (security and defence, EU competitiveness, and support to Ukraine) and on further support for the EU enlargement process with a special note of Ukraine’s progress to date. The officials also discussed the preparation of the EU’s multiannual budget, the importance of the cohesion policy and the agricultural policy for the development of EU regions, the required reforms, the EU’s competitiveness and balancing it with the green transitions policy, and the issues of the rule of law and migration.
- Latvia and Denmark are linked by close bilateral relations and common efforts to strengthen security and defence in the Baltic Sea region.
- The Canadian-led NATO Multinational Brigade in Latvia currently comprises around 4000 troops from 13 NATO member countries – Albania, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Italy, Latvia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
- The NB6 (Nordic–Baltic Six) format includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Sweden.
- The NB6 (Nordic–Baltic Eight) format includes Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden.
