Melnis and Bergmanis: NATO remains united, Baltic states not sidelined

The fact that Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were not invited to a separate meeting of NATO member states in Poland does not mean the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the military alliance, has split or that the Baltic states are being pushed aside. This was stated by Minister Raivis Melnis and Raimonds Bergmanis, chair of the Saeima's Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee (United List), on the TV24 programme "Kārtības rullis". The programme aired on 31 October 2026.

Different cooperation formats

Melnis explained that NATO members meet regularly in various formats, and the meeting in Poland was just one such cooperation platform. Latvia takes part in other formats, so the list of participants at one separate meeting should not be used to draw conclusions about the alliance's unity or the role of the Baltic states within it.

He also noted that no decisions have been taken that would indicate any questioning of NATO unity. According to the minister, US troops are still stationed in Latvia, and cooperation with allies continues.

Warning about how information is used

Bergmanis stressed that such situations must not be taken out of context. In his view, an adversary can exploit any opportunity to create an impression of disagreement within the alliance, and the information can be presented as a NATO split, although the allies are in fact continuing to work together.

Both officials said NATO countries continue to work on collective defence by developing military capabilities, investing funds and coordinating shared tasks. For that reason, they argued, a separate meeting format should not be taken as a sign that the alliance is divided or that the Baltic states have been left outside it.