From 30 November to 1 December 2021, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, received the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in Riga. At the meeting, the ministers discussed an outline for the NATO’s next Strategic Concept and exchanged views on NATO’s position with regard to Russia, arms control issues, and Afghanistan.
The Allies met with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Ukraine, as well as discussing the situation in the Western Balkans with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Finland and Sweden and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.
During the meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs, a ministerial level discussion was launched on the next Strategic Concept of NATO, mapping out the issues that the Allies would like to include in a future strategy for the organisation. The Ministers were in agreement that in a changing security environment the Strategic Concept should set out the Alliance’s vision of the future and ensure capabilities to deliver successfully on its fundamental tasks, strengthen the partnership policy and provide guidelines on further steps towards strengthening the Alliance’s collective defence, thereby fostering security and defence in the transatlantic space. Work of the Strategic Concept will continue ahead of the Meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government to be held in Madrid next June.
Besides the Alliance’s strategy, the meeting addressed other key areas – Russia’s military build-up at the border with Ukraine and the hybrid attack staged by the Belarusian regime thus creating a migration crisis at the NATO external border. The Allies expressed solidarity with Latvia, Poland and Lithuania and condemned the actions by the Belarusian regime. As concerns Russia, a strong message was sent that any Russian military action against Ukraine would have serious political and economic consequences.
In finalising an assessment of lessons learned from NATO operation in Afghanistan, it was concluded that although not all the goals had been achieved, the participation in the operation had positively influenced the military capabilities of NATO and its partner countries to work together and engage in combat missions. The meeting with the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Georgia and Ukraine addressed the security situation in the region. The Alliance reaffirmed its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and Ukraine, as well as indicating that it will continue providing support for the reform process launched by the two countries.
The situation in the Western Balkans was discussed with participation of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Finland and Sweden and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. The Ministers underlined that the military presence of NATO and the EU in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as political and financial support for the region from the EU and NATO member states are vital for ensuring stability and development across the Western Balkans region.
It was for the first time that Latvia was hosting a NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting and received a high estimation from the Allies and NATO officials for an excellent organisation and running of the event. The NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Riga carried a significant political message concerning the reinforcement of security and on challenges in the transatlantic space, including the need for a long-term Allied forward presence on the eastern flank of the Alliance.
FOR MEDIA ATTENTION!
Photo and video (visual) materials of the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting held on 30 November and 1 December in Riga are accessible here