What Are Russia’s Intentions? Will Latvia Be Next?
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And there's here there's different viewpoints about Russia's intentions.
In in Poland, for example, there's a lot of political difference between the political parties, for example.
But they both believe from what I've from the people I've spoken to that if it doesn't go well with Ukraine, they might be next.
What does Latvia think about that?
Well, first of all, in any peace deal, the important part is Ukrainian ability to ensure their future self-defense, so that there is sufficient Ukrainian self-defense force at a certain level with certain capabilities to provide deterrence for Ukraine.
And it's the same for everyone in the Euro-Atlantic zone, because I agree with certain assessments that say that Russia cannot stop the military production.
And again, its sort of authoritarian regime where there is no internal checks and balances will continue its existence in the way as it is.
And that continue posing a threat to all of us, to all the democratic countries.
Do you feel it's inherently expansionist?
It will try.
They have shown in the past that indeed, instead of internally doing reforms to be a successful economy, force for good globally, which it could be, to have a competitive sort of structure, positive agenda.
Unfortunately, it has been the opposite.
So having no illusions about that is the best recipe in our view to be safe and secure.
Having said that, for now, none of the NATO states from Norway to Finland to Baltics and further south have direct military threats.
Because one thing that we did collectively in NATO after 2014 was to work on a new military strategy, to be open-eyed and recognize that what Russia did in Ukraine, in Crimea and in the eastern part of Ukraine is a big turning point.
So NATO's new military strategy that was adopted in 2019 provides for the need not only to conduct out-of-area operations like we did in Afghanistan, where we had a choice to send five hundred troops for half a year or not, or send one hundred thirty troops to K4 and or not,
but to turn to collective defense to make sure that both territorial nations are defended.
And that is a completely different type of work that was done.
So what we did was to really combine the civil military intelligence capabilities within NATO to make sure that information Intel is shared, but also tech capabilities increased, space capabilities.
And that gives you that early warning that ICR, ICR ability to monitor and understand what is happening.
And then also changing the whole defense planning, developing those defense plans where you have forces that you need, you have enablement that you need, you have rapid reinforcement, you have authorities for commanders, you have the presence on the ground where you need.
So that all is that deterrence to make sure that we are safe and secure.
And that is a basis again for having successful economies.
Because if security and safety is threatened, the prosperity, the future hopes of all of us will not be there.
And that that has worked.
That has worked.
So yes, so strong force for Ukraine for the self-defense and deterrence.
But also Ukraine is a successful democratic country with strong institutions, lively democracy, sovereignty, independence.
And it has a perspective, European perspective, it has a NATO perspective.