Joint press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with the President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs, 16 November 2023.

🗣 | NATO Secretary General:

President Rinkēvičs,
Dear Edgars,

It’s good to see you again. Welcome back to NATO, you know this headquarters very well, after many years of being Foreign Minister, now President, and therefore it is a particular honour and privilege to welcome you in your new capacity as President of Latvia.

Congratulations on your appointment.
And thank you for your strong personal commitment to NATO.

We are meeting just two days before Latvia’s Independence Day.
An important moment to mark your country’s freedom and sovereignty, which NATO protects every day.

Latvia is a highly valued NATO Ally.
You lead by example on defence spending. Committing more than 2% of GDP to defence.
And you plan to reach 3% of GDP by 2027.
You are investing in new capabilities, including HIMARS, to strengthen our collective defence.
And you contribute to NATO operations and missions in Kosovo and in Iraq.

I have also had the pleasure of visiting the Canadian-led battlegroup in Ādaži,
in which 11 NATO Allies work side-by-side to defend NATO’s eastern flank.
And next year, you will host NATO’s Baltic Air Policing Mission, which keeps our skies safe.

So NATO can count on Latvia.
And Latvia can count on NATO.

At our Vilnius Summit, we agreed the most robust regional defence plans since the Cold War.
We are transforming the NATO Response Force.
And increasing the number of our high readiness forces to well over 300,000.
Backed by substantial air and naval power.

There should be no doubt that NATO is ready, willing and able to defend every inch of Allied territory.

Our Alliance will become even stronger when Sweden joins NATO.
And I welcome that the Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee is taking up Sweden’s membership today.
We look forward to welcoming Sweden as a full Ally very soon.

President Putin invaded Ukraine wanting less NATO.
He is getting more NATO.
He totally underestimated the determination of the Ukrainian people to defend their freedom.
And he totally underestimated the strength and unity of NATO’s support.

NATO Allies are providing unprecedented military, humanitarian and financial assistance to Ukraine.
And Latvia plays a key role in this.
This is even more important now, as the situation on the battlefield is very difficult.

But that is not an argument for less support.
It is an argument for more support.

This matters.
Not just for Ukraine’s security, but for our security.

So dear Edgars, thank you once again and welcome again to the NATO Headquarters.

I look forward to continuing to work together.
To keep NATO strong.
And our people safe.

Please, you have the floor.
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