According to the National Armed Forces (NBS), training will take place from November 13 to December 12.
NATO should take concrete steps to resolve the migration crisis on the Belarus border, the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced Sunday, adding that Poland, together with Lithuania and Latvia, could request consultations under Article 4 of the NATO Treaty. Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks told Latvian Television that if a request for consultations is made, Latvia will support it. In his opinion, the situation has not yet reached such a critical level, but at the same time, there are no indications that it could improve.
Under Article 4 of the NATO treaty, any ally can request urgent consultations with other members when they feel their territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened.
"I cannot rule out that we could come with such a request to consider the need for consultations under Article 4. [..] It is clear that the country against which the main hybrid strike is targeted will be the initiator, but in general, if the situation continues to escalate and there is a need for such consultations, then we will share it with all countries," the minister said. "I'm on my way to Brussels right now. We will also have lunch with NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg, so I concede that we will be able to discuss these matters and I will also hear the views of my Polish and Lithuanian colleagues on this subject."
"We cannot exclude that part of these groups will move further north and can reach the Latvian border. We're ready for it. I have asked for military training to be launched in the Latgale region, although our Belarusian colleagues if they can be called that, would know that this is not just for fun. Approximately 3,000 representatives of the Latvian Armed Forces will participate in this training. The training will continue for about a month."
The Minister said that training has already begun.
If Poland proposes to start consultations under Article 4 of the NATO agreement, it will undoubtedly also have the support of Latvia, foreign minister Edgars Rinkēvičs also confirmed.
“At the moment, we see a sharp deterioration in the situation on Poland's Belarus border. More and more troops of the Belarusian Armed Forces are emerging, special units. Training is ongoing involving Russian armed forces units. Of course, all this is quite dangerous,” the Minister said.
