Diplomacy
On September 9 in the twin border cities of Valka (Latvia) and Valga (Estonia), the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkevics, will meet with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Urmas Reinsalu. The ministers will discuss the bilateral relations between Latvia and Estonia, regional cooperation, support for Ukraine, and various topics on the international agenda.
On 8 September 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Jeppe Kofod, and Members of Danish Parliament, who were in Latvia on a working visit.
"With Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's passing a whole era has finished not only in the history of the United Kingdom, but the world. This is a sad day for not only the British nation but the world," said Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs on social media on Thursday September 8 evening after the death of the UK's monarch was announced.
Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland issued a joint statement on September 8 regarding the agreed-upon joint system of restrictions to Russian holders of Schengen travel visas.
On September 6, the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers approved a report titled “The Involvement of Latvia in the Reconstruction of Ukraine”, prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On August 30-31 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, took part in an informal meeting of the foreign affairs ministers of the European Union (EU), or the so-called 'Gymnich meeting', in Prague, the Czech Republic.
EU foreign ministers on Wednesday August 31 agreed to suspend a 2007 visa facilitation deal with Russia but stopped short of a wider visa ban as requested by some member states.
Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs finally lived up to prognosis August 30 and released a statement about the demolition of Soviet memorials in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania that was not notable for its calm and reasoned approach to, well, anything.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has decided to award state awards to persons who have made a significant contribution to strengthening international relations, supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and promoting Ukraine in the world. Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs is among those being awarded.
Good wishes were heading towards Ukraine from Latvia Wednesday on the occasion of that country's Independence Day, as it continues to defend itself against Russian attack. Latvian officials and organizations took to social media in large numbers to wish Ukraine and its heroic people a speedy victory against Russian fascism.
On August 16 2022, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, visited the Turkish capital, Ankara, as part of an official visit, and met with Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. The officials discussed the bilateral and EU relations, relations between the European Union (EU) and Turkey, and security policy issues, especially Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and cooperation within NATO.
A cooperation format once lauded in Rīga as the future of Chinese relations with the countries of Eastern Europe has now been kicked into touch, the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced August 11.
From August 9 to 10, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III is on a visit to Latvia. On August 10, the President of Latvia, Egils Levits, met with Mr Lloyd Austin III in Rīga Castle, discussing the strengthening of the defence of NATO's Eastern flank and particularly the Baltic States, according to a release from the President's official website.
Latvia has submitted a request to allow third-party involvement in Ukraine's claim against Russia to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), Latvian Television reported on August 9.
On August 3, 2022, the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, officially inaugurated an Embassy of Latvia in Canberra, Australia, according to a release by the Foreign Ministry.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation announced that the Charge d'Affaires of the Latvian embassy in Moscow, Dace Rutka, was summoned to the Ministry on July 27 to receive a protest in connection with the current requirements for Russian citizens who want to enter Latvia.
The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania mark one hundred years of diplomatic relations with the United States of America on July 28.
"On 21 July 2022, in The Hague relying on Article 63, paragraph 2, of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, Latvia submitted to the International Court of Justice its declaration requesting leave to intervene as a third party in the case of “Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide” (Ukraine v. the Russian Federation)," the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said July 22.
Following the introduction of the first sanctions against Russia in the context of its invasion of Ukraine, it appears that the European Union (EU) is not prepared for energy independence, but this does not mean that sanctions should be suspended, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs said in an interview to Latvian Radio on July 21.
On 18 July 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, took part in the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union in Brussels, Belgium, during which participants discussed Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, relations between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean, and digital diplomacy.
On 21-23 July 2022, the President of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid, will visit Latvia, the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.
From 11-13 July 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will host the 10th Meeting of the Honorary Consuls of the Republic of Latvia in Rīga.
On July 5, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs announced the addition of another name to Latvia's list of personae non gratae, in accordance with Section 61 Paragraph 2 of the Immigration Law.
June 24 saw the 50th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, and included an intervention from the Lithuanian representative on behalf of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland jointly, concerning the human rights of migrants.
On June 21, Minister of Foreign Minister of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, took part in the meeting of the European Union’s General Affairs Council, using the opportunity to call for the preparation of more sanctions against warmongering Russia.
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed U.S. financial backing for the 3 Seas Investment Fund June 20 at the opening of the 3 Seas Summit in Rīga, Latvia.
To coincide with Rīga hosting this year's Three Seas Initiative (3SI) summit and business forum, about which we have already written, the Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA) is publishing a new book.
On June 16, the Saeima supported the appointment of Jautrīte Briede as a Constitutional Court (ST) justice.
On June 8-9, the leader of the democratic movement in Belarus and that country's president-elect, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, will be visiting Riga.
On June 3, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, met with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Canada and Lithuania to open the Business Roundtable in Toronto with the participation of Canada’s largest pension funds, banks, as well as the energy sector.
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