Rajevs: US military C-17 flight through Riga was a deliberate signal

Latvian MP and National Armed Forces reserve colonel Igors Rajevs has said the recent arrival of a US official in Riga aboard a C-17 military transport plane was no accident. In his view, the choice of aircraft was meant to send a signal rather than being a practical necessity.

According to Rajevs, if the guiding principle of US foreign policy is 'America First', then Washington's priorities must be taken into account in any discussions with Russia. He argues that America's main problems at the moment are not the war in Ukraine, but the confrontation with Iran and the broader situation in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. These issues, he suggests, could have been among the key topics of the talks.

Rajevs rejects conspiracy theories circulating in public discourse about a possible deal under which Russia would refrain from helping Iran while the US would reduce support for Ukraine. He says such theories have no basis, while acknowledging that major-power politics can in principle involve such arrangements. In his view, the discussions likely covered several issues, including Iran, Ukraine, intelligence sharing and specific individuals.

The MP also draws attention to the manner of the US representative's arrival. He points out that a comfortable Gulfstream or another luxury plane could have been used instead of a military C-17, avoiding unnecessary attention. The choice of a military transporter therefore appears intentional and possibly symbolic.

Rajevs warns Latvia against viewing events only through its own perspective. 'We are part of a bigger game, but that game is considerably larger than just our territory,' he said.

It remains unclear, he says, whether the visit achieved its intended effect. If the goal was to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, Rajevs sees no signs of success. On the contrary, Russia's reaction has been harsh, including statements by Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova about a possible response to Britain. So far, however, the loud threats have not been followed by concrete actions.

Rajevs notes that the full content of the talks is unknown, calling the event 'shrouded in mystery'. Only time will tell whether this contact brought US-Russia relations closer to peace or pushed them further apart.