On 20 April 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, welcomed the Foreign Minister of Estonia, Eva-Maria Liimets; the Foreign Minister of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis; and the German Federal Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, to Riga. During their meeting, the ministers discussed the security situation in Europe, support for Ukraine, and close cooperation in response to Russia’s military aggression, as well as energy security matters.
The Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their readiness to continue providing all possible support for Ukraine, whose needs are increasing day by day, as the country is defending itself against Russia’s military invasion. Edgars Rinkēvičs underlined that at the moment, with the war raging on, Ukraine needs more help; therefore, the Ministers had discussed what else could be done together, also in the military sector. Referring to volumes of assistance, both military and humanitarian, the Minister noted that the Baltic States had delivered strongly in terms of percentage to their GDPs. Each country had supplied 200 million euros worth of military assistance, to say nothing of humanitarian aid, which would be increased. We have a common strategy – to assist Ukraine as much as we can, Edgars Rinkēvičs emphasised.
The Baltic Foreign Ministers underscored the need to reinforce and expand permanent presence of NATO forces in its eastern flank, while Germany reaffirmed it was prepared to do more for the benefit of the Baltic States’ security, as well as fully supporting NATO defence principles in the context of Article 5. The Ministers also exchanged views on the transatlantic security ahead of NATO’s Madrid Summit to be held end of June. The Latvian Foreign Minister noted a common perspective of the way that the world and Europe had changed after 24 February calling for new non-standard solutions for the Alliance. We discussed practical matters concerning NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence in the region and what should be improved and strengthened, the Minister said, naming anti-aircraft defence, coastal defence, and stationing more troops in the region as examples.
The Foreign Ministers of the Baltic States and Germany underlined the need for Europe to disengage from its dependence on Russia’s energy resources through diversifying energy sources and working to develop the renewable energy sector. Russia’s aggressive policy will also remain there if the active phase of the war in Ukraine is over, Edgars Rinkēvičs pointed out. We must readjust our economies from cooperation with Russia to breaking off any contacts to the extent possible. Sanctions against Russia must continue and be increased, and the sanctions in the energy sector must be stronger, the Minister underlined.
During their meeting in Riga, the Ministers issued a joint statement calling on Russia to immediately cease its aggression against Ukraine and withdraw its troops from the whole territory of Ukraine. In their statement, the Ministers of Foreign affairs of the Baltic States and Germany their support for human rights defenders, democratic forces, free media and independent civil society in Russia.