From 23 to 26 February 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, will make a working visit to the United States – New York and Washington, D.C. The aim of her visit is to voice strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, while underlining the importance of a just and lasting peace for security across the Euro-Atlantic space.
Another objective is to deepen relations with the U.S., including within the NATO framework, regionally and bilaterally, as well as expanding economic cooperation.
New York (23–25 February)
- At 10.00 New York time/ 17.00 Riga time on 24 February, Baiba Braže will deliver a national report at the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to mark three year since Russia’s war against Ukraine.
- At 15.00 New York time/ 22.00 Riga time on 24 February, at the meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)* on Ukraine’s security, the Latvian Foreign Minister will deliver a statement on behalf of the three Baltic States to express strong support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- At 10.30 New York time/ 17.30 Riga time, at the Latvian Ev. Lutheran Church of New York Yonkers, the Foreign Minister will address the congregation at the Praying for Ukraine prayer service.
- At 15.20 New York time/ 22.20 Riga time, meetings are planned with four regional groups of countries – Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Arab states, the African states, and the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC) to discuss global developments and present Latvia's priorities and thematic directions of its UNSC candidacy.
- At 12.00 New York time/ 19.00 Riga time, a bilateral meeting with Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, to discuss further support for Ukraine and strengthening a rules-based international order.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (25-26 February)
While in Washington, D.C., Baiba Braže will meet with members of the United States House of Representatives and U.S. businesspeople.
Latvia’s candidacy for the UN Security Council (UNSC)
Latvia is standing as a candidate for membership of the UNSC in 2026 and 2027. The elections are scheduled for June 2025. The UNSC is one of the main bodies in the UN system. Latvia is one of the two EU Member States (Cyprus being the other) that have never been elected to the UNSC before. Our closest neighbours – Lithuania and Estonia – have already served in that capacity: Lithuania in 2014–2015, and Estonia in 2020–2021. Both countries have already applied for the next term on the UNSC. Denmark entered the UNSC as its elected member in January 2025.