"NATO should strengthen the NATO Eastern flank, that is, Baltics, Poland, Romania, so that this would be a strong signal to Moscow that NATO is ready to defend the Member states. I welcome also the American troops in the Baltics and Poland, and we need a permanent presence of American troops in this area."
He said that defending Latvian democracy and the eastern flank is "is a question of confidence for the West, it is an exam for the West, for the American leadership, and I am sure that America and the West as a whole will pass this exam."
Asked what he thought about Putin's person, Levits said "autocratic states depend on the psychological conditions of their leaders, [..]" and that the war in Ukraine shows the weakness of authoritarian systems.
The full interview with Levits is available on CNN.
Latvian President Egils Levits (@valstsgriba) tells @DanaBashCNN that NATO needs to strengthen its eastern flank to send a strong message to Russia. #CNNSOTU https://t.co/ZlvvfZUyyq
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) March 13, 2022
