Latvian Prime Minister: We Must Welcome Ukraine into NATO

During her first visit to Brussels, Latvia's newly appointed Prime Minister, Eva Silina, expressed support for Ukraine's aspirations to join both the European Union and NATO.

"Our common task is to continue supporting Ukraine until it achieves victory. To ensure long-term peace in Europe, we must welcome Ukraine into NATO," stated the Prime Minister during her address at the alliance's headquarters.

Silina emphasized the need to bolster military and defence capabilities while assisting Ukraine, with Latvia contributing 1.3% of its GDP to support the country. She also called on the EU to facilitate Ukraine's integration into the bloc.

"My government will adhere to a clear pro-European approach. Latvia can be strong and prosperous only to the extent that the European Union is strong," Silina affirmed alongside Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Silina urged the EU to take further action regarding sanctions against Russia and to pursue legal proceedings to ensure "accountability" for Moscow's acts of aggression.

She highlighted the increased cooperation between Latvia and France in response to deteriorating security conditions. Currently, France is involved in enhancing security in the Baltic region, participating in air patrol missions in the Baltic airspace and contributing forces to a NATO multinational battle group stationed in Estonia.

Siliņa also condemned the "hybrid attacks" launched by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko against the EU's eastern borders, which have ratcheted up tensions over the summer and put neighbouring countries on alert. 

"This is part of a wider destabilising trend in our region which requires a clear EU reaction," she said.

In September, the Latvian parliament approved Silina as Prime Minister following the resignation of Krisjanis Karins, who stepped down in August after the dissolution of his ruling coalition. Silina, from the same centre-right party as Karins, formed a new alliance with two smaller parties and secured the necessary votes to establish a government majority.