Meeting today for the first time with Foreign Minister Baiba Braže of Latvia, President Alar Karis noted that the robust reinforcement of critical infrastructure in Estonia and Latvia and promotion of joint transport projects form key parts of regional security and resilience.
The meeting touched on Rail Baltic, which is the most important transport corridor on NATO’s eastern flank, and the Tartu-Riga railway, which is due to go into operation shortly. “Riga is a major hub for Southern Estonia, which is why the poor connections we currently share with Latvia are a blot on our otherwise excellent relations,” the head of state remarked.
President Karis and Minister Braže also discussed how best to coordinate their approach in continuing to provide multilateral support to Ukraine in view of the forthcoming peace conference in Switzerland and NATO summit in Washington. “We must keep an eye on the preparations being made for the conference so that the peace plan is in line with the UN Charter and prioritises the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity,” urged the head of state.
