Latvia's new PM wants to end trade with Russia, but there's catch
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs (photo: facebook.com/andris.kulbergs)
Newly appointed Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said he will instruct Foreign Minister Baiba Braže to find a way to halt exports to and imports from Russia. However, he added that some sectors could be granted exceptions, Delfi reports.
After the government meeting, Kulbergs spoke to the press and said that he continues to insist that there is no need to maintain business ties with Russia. According to him, it is an unnecessary dependency that "only makes the situation worse."
In this regard, he announced that he would instruct the foreign minister to find a solution to this issue. However, such a decision would also need to be coordinated with the EU, since Latvia is first and foremost part of the European Union's trade community.
At the same time, the official clarified that the situation in the pharmaceutical industry is not so straightforward. He explained that companies in this sector would not be able to quickly reorient themselves. The problem is that the certification process in other countries is quite lengthy.
"I know they have a plan. They are reducing volumes, but this cannot be done in a single day," Kulbergs said.
He also added that companies in this sector possess chemical and biological expertise, including production capacities, which could be important for the country in the field of defense in a critical situation.
"These capabilities must be preserved," he concluded, announcing that he plans to meet with pharmaceutical industry companies and discuss these issues.
According to Delfi, in the first quarter of 2026, Latvia exported goods worth a total of €244.15 million to Russia and imported €10.51 million worth of goods from the aggressor state.
Trade with Russia
At the end of April, it became known that the Riga City Court in Latvia fined a businessman €10,140 for attempting to violate EU sanctions. It was found that he had tried to export protective relays for transformers worth more than €161,000 to Russia.
Also in April, Bloomberg published a report stating that the Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania — had finally severed their economic ties with Russia. In addition, they called on Europe not to return to normalizing relations with Moscow.
