Czech and Latvian foreign ministers reaffirm unity on Ukraine, defense spending

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský and his Latvian counterpart, Baiba Braže, reaffirmed their countries' commitment to European security and pledged continued support for Ukraine during talks held in Prague on Thursday.

A key focus of the meeting was the recent NATO summit agreement on raising defense spending to five percent of GDP by 2035. Both diplomats underscored the strength of Czech-Latvian relations, which they said are rooted in mutual commitment to democracy, freedom, and human rights.

The Czech and Latvian heads of diplomacy also voiced support for expanding sanctions against Russia, including the proposed 18th EU sanctions package. The package includes a mechanism drafted by Czech experts to prevent companies circumventing existing restrictions that will empower customs authorities to block exports destined for the Russian military-industrial complex through third countries.