Latvian FM: Putin will try to achieve in talks what he failed to do in war against Ukraine
Photo: Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže (Getty Images)
Russia's Vladimir Putin will try to achieve in peace talks what he failed to achieve in the war against Ukraine. Namely, to weaken the United States and regain control over Ukraine, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže says.
Braže notes that Russia, which has a population of 140 million, has been able to gain control of less than 20% of Ukraine, which has a population of 40 million. All the while, Putin has not been able to weaken the United States and the NATO military alliance.
“I think the difficulty is with the Russians, because Russians are the ones who want to weaken US power, and who want to weaken the US in the world overall,” Brazier said.
She believes that Putin, by interfering in other countries, wants to control both the territory and the political choices of their governments. In particular, as it was in Syria, where he supported the authoritarian regime of Bashar al-Assad.
But Putin did not get what he wanted during the three-year war in Ukraine, and he will try to get it through peace talks, Brazier said.
“So, it’s important to clearly remember that perspective in whatever deal we negotiate or strike,” she said.
In her opinion, as NATO members, Estonia and Lithuania should be prepared for any future aggression from Russia.
Latvia's assistance to Ukraine
A charity initiative in Latvia raised funds to purchase 100 FPV drones for the Ukrainian military. The drones have already been delivered to Ukraine.
In September 2024, during a visit to Kyiv, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa announced a new military aid package for Ukraine.
The Latvian Ministry of Defense also handed over CVR(T) reconnaissance-tracked armored vehicles to Ukraine, previously purchased from the United Kingdom.
