
Diplomacy


On September 7 in Chernihiv, Ukraine the Ambassador of Latvia to Ukraine, Ilgvars Kļava, acting on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Deputy Resident Representative the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ukraine, Christophoros Politis, signed an agreement on the reconstruction of infrastructure facilities in the Chernihiv Oblast.

On September 6 and 7, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Baltic States and Nordic countries (NB8) will meet in Latvia. Latvia will be represented at the meeting by the outgoing Prime Minister, and acting Foreign Minister, Krišjānis Kariņš.

There is still a lot of speculation about the air crash in Russia, which could have killed the leader of the notorious mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin. In Ukraine's media and blogger environment, this is another example that Russian leader Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted. the Latvian ambassador to Ukraine, llgvars Kļava, said in an interview to Latvian Radio on August 24.

Baltic states Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania issued a joint statement August 17 reaffirming their joint support for Ukraine, including in the context of the G7 Declaration of Support for Ukraine.

Former President of Latvia Egils Levits has been appointed special representative of Latvia in matters of international law and national responsibility, according to information in the official publication Latvijas Vēstnesis on August 16.

The Foreign Ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland issued a joint statement August 9 marking three years since Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko clung onto power via rigged presidential elections.

Russian diplomats have been expelled from many countries around the world but facilities through which Russian secret services may still obtain valuable information remain, Latvian Television reported on August 6.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said July 25 that the Baltic states want to help send Ukraine's grain around the world and will call on the European Commission for help in making it happen.

A number of Latvian ambassadors will soon change, including the long-term ambassador to Russia Māris Riekstiņš, who will be Latvia's envoy to NATO, LSM reported Friday.

The speakers of the parliaments of Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Ukraine have adopted a joint statement on Ukraine's future membership of NATO in which they ask for allance members attending the Vilnius NATO summit "to commit to Ukraine becoming a NATO member" with a clear path towards that goal.

Spain has taken over the revolving Presidency of the Council of the European Union from July 1, and to mark the occasion Spanish Ambassador to Latvia Manuel Alhama Orenes spoke with Latvian Radio.

Latvian member of parliament and chairman of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee Rihards Kols (National Alliance) made his voice heard at the meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Vancouver, Canada July 2, calling on member states to list the Wagner Group as a terrorist organization.

On June 20, Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, in his capacity of the Chair of the Council of Europe’s (CoE) Committee of Ministers, addressed the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) over the priorities of the Latvian CoE Presidency and current political issues addressed by the CoE Committee of Ministers.

On June 16 and 17, the Foreign Affairs Committees of the Parliaments of the Baltic States meet in Sigulda, Latvia, to discuss the objectives of the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius, in particular support for Ukraine and strengthening the security of the region.

On June 14, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andris Pelšs welcomed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China Tang Songgen to the Republic of Latvia for an accreditation visit.

Latvia will have nine seats in the next European Parliament (EP) instead of eight, the EP Constitutional Affairs Committee decided on Monday, June 12. The vote on this decision is scheduled for Thursday at the plenary session in Strasbourg.

On June 9, Latvia's Minister of Foreign Affairs (and President-elect), Edgars Rinkēvičs, met U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, who was visiting Latvia after visiting France.

On June 1, 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposals prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Latvia's involvement in the reconstruction of Ukraine in 2023, setting out specific support measures for the reconstruction of Chernihiv Oblast.

The Prime Ministers of the Baltic states gathered in Tallinn, Estonia May 26 to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

On 25 May in Rīga, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, met with the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Tiny Kox, and the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić.

On May 24, online political consultations were held between Latvia and China, according to a release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The previous political consultations between Latvia and China took place as far back as 2021.

On May 24 2023, the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Margus Tsakhna, who was in Rīga on a working visit.

On May 17, Latvia is taking over the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, as previously reported by LSM.

The Prime Ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were meeting in Tallinn Friday under the auspices of the Baltic Council of Ministers with future energy security and more help for Ukraine top of their joint agenda.

On May 9, the Latvian cabinet approved the priorities of the Latvian Presidency at the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe (COE).

On April 28, during a visit to Odesa, Ukraine, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, together with his counterparts from the Baltic and Nordic countries (NB8) met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba and reiterated their support at the opening event of the Odesa Reconstruction Forum.

Foreign ministers from the Baltic and Nordic countries arrived in Chişinău on Thursday, April 28, to express their support for Moldova's security, resilience, and integration in the European Union.

President of Latvia Egils Levits, said Monday after meeting with Estonian President Alar Karis that both countries were in favor of a faster accession of Ukraine to NATO.

Latvia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said April 24 it had summoned the senior Chinese diplomat in the country in response to statements made by the Ambassador of China to France, Lu Shaye, during a TV interview on April 21.

Thousands of tonnes of confiscated Russian fertilizers have been sent from Latvia to Kenya, the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said April 22.
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