Melnis: Attack on Baltic States Would Be a Major Russian Strategic Mistake

Latvian Defense Minister Raivis Melnis, who took office on May 28, made his first official foreign visit to Ukraine on June 12. There he met with Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and gave an interview to Ukrainska Pravda.

Melnis said he deliberately chose Ukraine for his first visit to strengthen cooperation and Ukraine's ability to resist Russia. He highlighted an agreement with Kyiv on cooperation in drone technology.

Regarding the front-line situation, the minister expressed trust in Ukrainian soldiers, stressing they can recapture their land meter by meter. He noted that Ukraine effectively uses domestically produced drones to strike Russian logistics facilities and oil refineries, weakening Russia's supply chains and economy.

Asked about a potential Russian attack on NATO countries, Melnis acknowledged Russia is unpredictable but said an attack on the Baltic states would be a major strategic mistake. "It would give Ukraine the opportunity to move to more active action and gain new opportunities at the front. Russia would have to fight on two fronts," he explained.

He added that NATO has the necessary capabilities and a plan, and the alliance is ready to respond. Melnis also emphasized that Latvia is learning from Ukraine's experience and strengthening its own capabilities.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been ongoing since February 24, 2022, while the war has lasted since 2014, when Russia occupied Crimea and started hostilities in Donbas.