Rinkēvičs Rejects Russia's Idea of a "New European Security Order"

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs said on 13 November that Russia's ideas for a "new European security order" are not up for discussion. The president's adviser, Mārtiņš Drēģeris, told the news agency LETA that in Rinkēvičs' view the Russian proposal is unacceptable.

As previously reported, Russian representatives set out ideas for a new European security order to European diplomats during talks in Abu Dhabi. The German newspaper Bild, citing its sources, writes that the Russian proposals include, among other things, Finland leaving NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance of European states, the United States and Canada) and the alliance giving up its bases in the Baltic states.

Europe's role in the talks remains unclear

On Thursday, US envoys said after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Europe would join further negotiations. The Kremlin, however, indicated that no decision had yet been made.

After months of effort to get involved in the talks, Europe still has not agreed on who will represent it or what it is prepared to discuss with the Kremlin.

Moscow has insisted that any negotiations must revisit European security architecture. By all appearances, Russia is once again demanding a reduction of NATO's influence.