The Latvian Minister of Defense also discussed the situation in Ukraine in Prague in cooperation
Updates: 01/24/2022 19:00
Released: 24.01.2022, 19:00
Prague – One Latvian Minister of Defense, Artis Pabriks, is in Prague today about the situation on the Latvian-Belarusian border, tensions in Ukraine or in cooperation between Latvia and the Czech Republic. He met with the Ministry of Defense Jana Černochová (ODS) or the chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security Pavel Fischer (independent). Fischer and Marek Vala from the press department of the Ministry of Defense told ČTK.
Pabriks arrived in the Czech Republic at a time of tense relations between Russia and Ukraine, but also at a time of increased tension at the borders of NATO member countries with Belarus in connection with the migration crisis there. The security situation was thus one of the points of his negotiations with the representatives of the Czech Republic.
“We have discussed the need to increase the Alliance’s ability to be seen in countries that are in contact with Ukraine and Russia or Belarus. In addition to the Baltics, this is Romania,” Fischer said. “In this sense, I also appealed to the Prime Minister (Petr Fiala) last week that the Czech government be prepared to send troops to the southeast wing of the alliance,” he added.
She discussed the security situation on the borders with Belarus and Russia with Pabriks and Chernochova, and they also talked about the tension between Ukraine and Russia.
An essential part of both meetings was negotiations on mutual cooperation. “Defense cooperation between the Czech Republic and Latvia is intensive and we want to expand it in the future. Together, we are involved in a number of multinational military initiatives and projects,” said Černochová. She appreciated the host support of Latvia and the advanced presence in the Baltics, in which the Czech army also participates. “This is a unique opportunity for Czech soldiers to gain experience in the international environment. We can strengthen mutual ties, for example in the field of defense-industrial cooperation, hybrid threat management or military education,” the ministry added.
According to Fischer, the negotiations were also about deepening cooperation in the arms industry or advanced technologies. “I was also interested in how, against the background of the deteriorating security environment, the Minister of Labor evaluates the EU’s strategic compass and NATO’s new strategic concept,” he said. They also addressed energy security and the energy supply crisis.