Rinkēvičs: Russia likes to intimidate, but NATO has our back
At the NATO summit in Ankara, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs stated that while Russia enjoys intimidating regional countries, Latvia's NATO membership makes a military invasion unlikely despite ongoing hybrid threats.
During a press briefing at the NATO summit in Ankara, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs said that Russia likes to intimidate countries in the region, but Latvia is backed by NATO. According to the president, although Latvia faces constant hybrid threats from Russia, the likelihood of a military invasion is low.
Rinkēvičs emphasized that Latvia lives under continuous hybrid aggression from Moscow, including cyberattacks, disinformation, and political pressure. However, he assessed the probability of a full-scale military incursion as minimal, precisely because of Latvia’s membership in NATO. The president’s remarks came as NATO leaders gathered in Ankara to discuss regional security and continued support for Ukraine.
The Latvian head of state reiterated that the alliance remains a reliable deterrent against any potential military aggression. His comments align with those of other Baltic and Polish leaders who have called for a stronger NATO presence on the eastern flank. The Ankara summit takes place against the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine, where NATO members are working to coordinate further aid to Kyiv while bolstering their own defenses.
Rinkēvičs’ statement underscores Latvia’s commitment to its own security and reliance on NATO’s collective defense clause, Article 5, which guarantees that an attack on one member is an attack on all.
