Speaking of the potential threat of Wagner to NATO, the ambassador acknowledged that "we should not live in self-assurance", but at the same time "we must be convinced that we and our allies are prepared to defend the security of the areas of the Alliance and of the people from the first minute and the first centimeter".
"We have to be confident in our and allied capabilities; people can go peacefully about their daily lives. The fact that social networks enable debate is good, but building a panicky scene – it has no basis," the diplomat continued.
Riekstiņš also expressed the need to prepare for a long-standing aggressive policy by Russia:
"As long as Putin is in power, this policy will continue. We must be prepared to face it."
Riekstiņš also stressed that Ukraine is regaining its territories and that positive news has been received recently, suggesting that Ukrainians could manage to break the course of the battles on the southern front.
