Secretary General discusses NATO agenda with Latvian Foreign Minister
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had a phone call with Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs on Wednesday (27 January) to discuss the Alliance’s current agenda. The Secretary General thanked Latvia for hosting the Canadian-led battlegroup as part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) measures in the Baltic Sea region. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the deployment of the four battlegroups to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, to deter aggression and to preserve peace. Mr. Stoltenberg stressed that, despite the pandemic, NATO’s deterrence and defence in the region remains strong and effective.
The Secretary General also expressed his appreciation for Latvia’s contributions to NATO missions and operations, and for investing 2 % of GDP on defence. They also exchanged views on the NATO2030 initiative to prepare the Alliance for the future. The Secretary General thanked the Minister for Latvia’s offer to host a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Riga in December, and said he looked forward to the meeting.