At the NATO Summit in Madrid, the Allies acknowledged Russia as the most significant and direct threat to the Alliance. Latvia and Romania are among the countries who are most directly affected by this threat. As like-minded countries, we must work together to implement the decisions of the Madrid Summit, strengthening the defence and deterrence capabilities of the eastern flank of NATO, underlined Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, on Monday, 20 March, at a meeting with Parliament and government officials in Bucharest, capital of Romania.

To prevent the foreign policy agenda and decisions of others from overtaking our everyday life, we—both Latvia at the national level and the European Union—must be active in shaping the foreign policy environment where we will live, underlined Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, on Friday, 17 March, at the opening of the conference “Baltic‑Nordic EU Conversations 2023: More United than Ever?” at the Latvian Parliament.

“We learn who our true friends are in times of hardship, and Canada has consistently shown that we can fully rely on it. We are close partners with excellent relations throughout history, and, at this time when the security of NATO’s eastern flank is the number one priority, we feel the friendly and strong support of Canada,” underlined Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, on Tuesday, 14 March, at a meeting with George J. Furey, Speaker of the Senate of Canada, who is on an official visit to Latvia.

“A true democracy cannot be realised without the representation of the people and without the parliament — a place where different people, ideas, beliefs meet. A place, where people may come and go, but fundamental continuity and absolute balance of power are ensured," said the Speaker of the Saeima Edvards Smiltēns at the ceremonial opening  of the second  supplemented edition of a book by Gunārs Kusiņš “Parliamentarianism in Latvia: An Overview” on Thursday, February 16, in the Saeima.

Latvia and Poland have historical ties, and our security is closely interlinked. Strategic cooperation between Poland and the Baltic States is particularly important in the new geopolitical situation. This was underlined by Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, when he received Andrzej Duda, President of Poland, at the Saeima on Wednesday, 1 February. The President of Poland is in Latvia on an official visit.

“If we want to safeguard our values, the rule of law, our way of life, we must be aware that our battlefield includes raising awareness of Russia’s aggression among the wider international community, and support for holding Russia accountable. The unity of our foreign policy objectives and actions is a matter of national security. Foreign policy is not only the responsibility of diplomats. We all serve as diplomats", said Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, on Thursday, January 26, during the annual parliamentary foreign policy debate, reminding that freedom, independence and democracy are never to be taken for granted.

“Back then, it seemed as though the entire Latvia were barricading. Physically here in Riga, across Latvia, and figuratively—in people’s hearts. A united, unbreakable wall of courage and determination. People came from all regions and cities to defend their freedom, not because it was officially organised by the authorities, but upon invitation of the Popular Front. Without hesitation or second thoughts,” said Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, on Friday, 20th January, lighting the commemorative bonfire on the Commemoration Day of Participants of the 1991 Barricades.

Continuing their visit to Ukraine, the delegation led by the Speaker of the Saeima, Edvards Smiltēns, met with the highest Ukrainian officials — President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

“With your heroism, you have achieved the impossible — a real awakening! Both on the battlefields and by transmitting such a powerful push of courage and determination that it has reached every corner of the free world, touching the hearts of billions of people. It has cleared the mist of illusions and created an unprecedented rise of solidarity and cooperation, and urged our nations to remember and appreciate what matters most — our freedom, independence, and democracy," said Speaker of the Saeima, Edvards Smiltēns, on Thursday, 12 January, addressing Ukrainian parliamentarians of the Verkhovna Rada in Kyiv.

From today’s point of view, the railroad project Rail Baltica is no longer just a convenient passenger link with Western Europe. Its strategic importance is increasing from a security perspective, as an artery for transporting military cargo in case of need, noted Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, during his visit to Warsaw, capital of Poland, where he underlined the need for the Baltic states and Poland to develop joint infrastructure projects of strategic importance.