From 16 to 17 September, Riga hosted for the first time the meeting of delegations led by the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the parliaments of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Türkiye. Parliamentarians agreed that cooperation between the three Baltic States and Türkiye extends beyond regional issues. The Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees agreed to continue meeting on a regular basis to seek joint solutions to global challenges. The next meeting is planned for the first half of 2026 in Estonia.
Head of the Latvian delegation, Chair of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee Ināra Mūrniece, noted that today we face a wide range of geopolitical challenges – from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and security threats in Europe to instability in the Middle East and shifts in the global order. As NATO Allies, it is in our common interest to understand these processes, anticipate future trends and respond in a timely and coordinated manner.
“This new format of cooperation between the parliaments of the Baltic States and Türkiye is particularly valuable as it allows us to exchange views on developments in different regions, deepen mutual understanding, and explore new opportunities for cooperation,” emphasised Ināra Mūrniece.
In discussions on defence and security, Mūrniece welcomed the joint efforts of the Baltic States and Türkiye as NATO Allies to strengthen the Alliance’s eastern flank and to respond to emerging security challenges. “These challenges are neither abstract nor remote – they are real, immediate and require coordinated and decisive action,” underlined the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Analysing security challenges on NATO’s eastern flank, the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the Baltic States stressed that, from their perspective, Russia’s aggression is not only a brutal war against Ukraine – it is a systematic attempt to undermine European and transatlantic security. Russia’s actions represent both a direct military threat and a long-term strategic challenge to the Baltic States and NATO as a whole.
Latvia strongly advocates a robust and consistent approach: maintaining strict sanctions against Russia, providing comprehensive and long-term support to Ukraine, and strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defence capabilities. At the same time, it is particularly important to protect critical infrastructure, reinforce cybersecurity and enhance resilience against hybrid threats. “Latvia highly values Türkiye’s participation in the Baltic Air Policing mission, its role in the ‘drone coalition’, and its support for Ukraine. Our cooperation once again clearly demonstrates solidarity among NATO Allies in the face of today’s security challenges,” Mūrniece stated.
The Latvian delegation was headed by Chair of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee Ināra Mūrniece; Lithuania was represented by Chair of the Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee Remigijus Motuzas; Estonia by Chair of the Riigikogu Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson; and Türkiye by Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye Fuat Oktay. The Saeima was also represented by Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Irma Kalniņa and Committee Secretary Juris Viļums.
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Saeima Press Service