NATO Chiefs in Riga Pledge Stronger Baltic Defences After Russian Airspace Violations
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The NATO Military Committee has convened in Riga, Latvia, in a high-level meeting aimed at reinforcing the Alliance’s response to mounting Russian provocations. Chaired by Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the gathering brought together the President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, and Latvia’s Chief of Defence, Kaspars Pudāns, alongside military leaders from all 32 NATO allies.
Admiral Cavo Dragone opened the session by warning that Russia’s war against Ukraine and recent incursions into Allied airspace represent deliberate challenges to international order. He recalled Soviet provocations in 1939, drawing a parallel with today’s situation, and expressed “full and unequivocal solidarity” with NATO members affected by Russian violations. He noted that the Alliance had twice triggered Article 4 consultations this month after multiple airspace breaches involving Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, Norway and Romania.
President Rinkēvičs highlighted NATO’s unity after the recent Hague Summit, where allies agreed to invest 5% of GDP in defence capabilities. He stressed that deterrence must be credible, not symbolic, and called for a shift from Baltic air policing to a full Baltic air defence mission with clear rules of engagement. Rinkēvičs confirmed Latvia’s commitment to increase defence spending and thanked allies for their presence in the Multinational Division North and NATO’s brigade in Latvia, led by Canada.
He also underlined Latvia’s support for Ukraine, pledging continued contributions and urging NATO to learn from Ukraine’s experience in countering drones. He warned that Russia’s hybrid tactics, including the use of migration pressure and drone incidents, show that provocations are becoming part of daily security reality.
General Kaspars Pudāns reinforced the message that NATO faces “360-degree threats,” combining conventional warfare with cyberattacks, disinformation and energy coercion. He described Ukraine as the frontline not only of European security but of global stability. Latvia, he said, is urgently investing in air defence, coastal protection, drones and counter-drone systems, new training facilities, and resilience measures to counter disinformation and cyberattacks.
Throughout the conference, NATO leaders stressed that deterrence is already in action. Operations Baltic Sentry and Eastern Sentry have boosted surveillance and air defence along the eastern flank, while NATO has deployed additional naval and intelligence assets in the Baltic Sea following drone sightings in Denmark and earlier sabotage of undersea cables and pipelines.
Closing the public session, Admiral Cavo Dragone reaffirmed NATO’s ironclad commitment to Article 5 collective defence. He paid tribute to the service and sacrifice of allied troops, declaring: “Every square centimetre of the Euro-Atlantic region remains protected, today as it has been for 76 years.”
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