On 14 December 2023, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Krišjānis Kariņš, during his working visit to Finland met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Elina Valtonen. In a discussion on bilateral cooperation between Latvia and Finland, the Ministers welcomed the active economic relations of the two countries and noted in particular the Latvian-Finnish cooperation in defence and military industry.
The Foreign Ministers emphasized that Latvia and Finland were currently facing similar security challenges.
“Elements of hybrid warfare are being used against our countries. To overcome those, we will continue sharing information and experience and coordinating our activities,” Krišjānis Kariņš noted. The Minister called for deepening the Baltic-Nordic cooperation in the field of security, including in NATO, for a more effective protection of common interests.
At the conclusion of the conversation, Krišjānis Kariņš invited the Finnish Foreign Minister to visit Latvia.
When discussing current developments in Europe and worldwide, the two ministers agreed on the need to continue supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes. The Latvian and Finnish Foreign Ministers expressed their support for the opening of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine.
During his stay, the Foreign Minister visited the Patria company for a discussion with its representatives on possibilities for further cooperation.
Krišjānis Kariņš underlined: “In the current geopolitical situation, it is vital to strengthen the military capabilities of NATO and the EU. The joint project between Latvia and Finland for the manufacturing of armored vehicles is an excellent example of cooperation on strengthening security.”
