Latvian president meets Nawrocki, says Ukraine's peace is in 'our' hands
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has said the peace in Ukraine is in "our" hands as he was hosting his Polish counterpart Karol Nawrocki in Riga for talks on security, hybrid attacks and diplomatic efforts to end a nearly four-year war.
At the press conference held after bilateral talks on Thursday, Nawrocki said the security issue took the lion's share of talks in Latvia, showing "what a great responsibility the Central and Eastern European states, the Baltics and Poland are bearing for the entire Europe's security."
When addressing the war that Moscow wages in Ukraine, his Latvian counterpart said: "Peace in Ukraine and Ukraine's future are only in our hands, as we also see that unfortunately Russia is not currently capable of and is not willing, not ready for any settlement for this matter."
Rinkevics further said that discussions concerned Washington's bid to end the war in Ukraine, referring to the US-proposed draft truce deal, which currently centres on high-level foreign talks and meetings.
The talks also focused on bolstering economic ties between Warsaw and Riga, Rinkevics revealed, adding that he and Nawrocki are unanimous on the importance of, among other things, the transport and energy partnership.
Both heads of state took questions from reporters, with some concerning the White House's recently published National Security Strategy. The document focuses on the Western Hemisphere, sidelining Europe in terms of its own defence, adding that the region faces a "civilisation erasure."
"The American security strategy shouldn't surprise anybody who followed [US] President Donald Trump's speeches, who personally spoke to him, like I did a few times — seeing him as a person who takes responsibility and co-responsibility for the entire Europe's security and that of the entire world," Nawrocki said.
The Polish leader said that both he and his Latvian counterpart are convinced the region's security rests on NATO's strength, the presence of US forces, and strong ties between Brussels and Washington.
He extended an invitation to Rinkevics for the summit on Baltic Sea security, scheduled for 2026, adding that the Latvian head of state had pledged to attend. (PAP)
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