NATO leaders meeting at the Alliance summit in Ankara reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and agreed to provide at least $140 billion in military assistance to Ukraine this year and next, according to Latvia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said Allies also agreed to accelerate the development of NATO’s military capabilities by drawing on lessons from the war in Ukraine, investing in new technologies, and strengthening the defence industry.
Braže stressed that the war in Ukraine has fundamentally changed modern warfare, making it essential for NATO to prioritise drone and counter-drone capabilities, air defence systems, and technological superiority. Latvia also highlighted the importance of long-range weapons, hybrid threats, and the security risks posed by Russia’s shadow fleet in the Baltic region.
Summit participants unanimously described Russia as a long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security. Braže noted that sabotage, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns and the instrumentalisation of migration are all elements of Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy, requiring close coordination among NATO Allies.
The summit also focused on strengthening the transatlantic defence industry. At the NATO Defence Industry Forum, participants announced new joint procurement initiatives and multinational defence cooperation projects. Latvia was represented by telecommunications company LMT, unmanned systems developer Ammunity, and the Latvian Federation of Security and Defence Industries.
Latvia also joined Canada’s initiative to establish a Defence, Security and Resilience Bank. The nine founding countries, including Latvia, agreed to complete the bank’s establishment by 2027 to improve long-term financing opportunities for small and medium-sized companies in the defence sector.
In addition, Latvia underlined the importance of security in the Baltic Sea and called for stronger restrictive measures against Russia’s so-called shadow fleet and its support network to reduce sanctions evasion and protect critical maritime infrastructure.
Braže attended the NATO Summit in Ankara from 6 to 8 July as part of the Latvian delegation led by President Edgars Rinkēvičs. The summit also included a meeting of the NATO–Ukraine Council, a gathering of NATO foreign ministers with partners from the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, and several discussions on international security policy.
As previously reported, the NATO Summit was held in Ankara, Türkiye, with the Latvian delegation led by President Edgars Rinkēvičs.
Ahead of the summit, Rinkēvičs said after meeting Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs that Latvia’s priority was to demonstrate that NATO remains united despite internal debates and disagreements.
According to the president, he and Prime Minister Kulbergs agreed that Latvia sought three key outcomes from the summit: reaffirming Allied unity, maintaining strong support for Ukraine, and strengthening NATO’s military capabilities.
Rinkēvičs also noted that NATO leaders had committed to increasing defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. He stressed that stronger military capabilities and a more robust defence industry are essential, highlighting the Latvian government’s efforts to develop the domestic defence sector and implement the comprehensive defence cooperation agreement signed by Prime Minister Kulbergs and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, particularly in adopting Ukraine’s experience in defending airspace against drone attacks.
The president also emphasised that continued support for Ukraine remained one of the summit’s central priorities. He pointed to NATO’s Priority Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme and noted that the Ukrainian president also attended the summit. Latvia, he said, has supported Ukraine from the outset and will continue to do so.
Rinkēvičs added that NATO must continue adapting to emerging security challenges, including counter-drone defence. He said Latvia is already implementing its NATO capability targets through long-term development plans and budget commitments, while also discussing new defence requirements with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Alliance experts.
Prime Minister Kulbergs added that NATO must ensure full coordination across the Eastern Flank and play a greater role in strengthening the Alliance’s integrated air defence.