Wednesday, the 29th of March, marks 19 years of Latvia receiving the most effective means of protection for the nation and state – Article 5 of NATO Treaty.
Latvia – lacking its own aircraft carriers and fighter jets – is part of the world’s strongest military force. At least the country sees it this way in these troubled times.
There have been talks from certain westerners that Latvia, and Baltic States in general, only consume NATO security, not contribute to it. There has also been an increase of scepticism among Latvian residents about the guarantees provided by Article 5: will the big and powerful members of the alliance truly rush to our aid is disaster strikes? We can see the answer to this in Ādaži.
So what was Latvia’s main contribution to its partners these years?
Ventspils City Council deputy Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis answers the question asked by BNN – Latvia’s Minister of Defence (1998-2004) and 14th Saeima National Security Committee’s secretary Ainars Latkovskis, who is the creator of the country’s national security policy and a veteran of the parliament (has worked in legislation since 2002).
Kristovskis: «Latvia joining NATO was an accomplishment in expanding the Euro-Atlantic space and reinforcement of Western democratic values. NATO definitely received a reliable ally that carefully observes the processes that go on beyond the alliance’s Eastern border. This is the main benefit for NATO as the main guarantor of Europe’s security.
Latvia’s contribution to NATO should not be viewed so simplistically,
in the context of NATO’s military power and general increase of combat capabilities even though that it is not an insignificant contribution.
This is why in the context of NATO, it is important that Latvia, as well as other Baltic States, help expand NATO’s operational space, which covers the depths of Europe’s geographical security, especially its northern dimension. In the end, considering the geopolitical events of recent years, especially Russia’s pointless and suicidal war in Ukraine, the family of NATO member states around the Baltic Sea region has become stronger. With Finland and Sweden joining NATO, Russia’s ability to intimidate neighbours with their imperialistic goals are going down.
This is why Latvia’s and other Baltic States’ joining NATO 19 years ago has given the opportunity for NATO and Nordic military experts to think in other categories and scales, which has resulted in a considerable increase of balance of security in the Baltic Sea when there was Russia’s domination there in the past.»
The Saeima deputy also believes that NATO, by taking in Latvia, gained a reliable partner. Already the country’s defence expenditures exceed the alliance’s required 2%* of GDP with plans to increase it to 3% of GDP by the year 2027.
[Currently this requirement is met by only the UK, US, Estonia, Greece, Lithuania and Poland, according to the alliance’s report for 2022. France and Croatia are close to this level as well. NATO has a total of 30 member states.]
However, according to Latkovskis, the most notable contribution Latvia has provided NATO is this: «Latvia has definitely been very useful by providing a realistic and accurate image about Russia. During the summit in Madrid Russia was declared the most notable and direct threat – this is something Latvia has been warning about since the start of the 90s.»
Also read: Hungary approves Finland’s application to NATO