The Chancellor of Germany arrives in Latvia and confirms his strong support for the strengthening of Baltic security

The security of NATO allies is also our security and “an attack on the Baltics would be an attack on all of us”, which cannot be allowed, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized at the press conference on Monday after the talks between the leaders of the Baltic states and Germany.

The German chancellor assessed that the security situation on NATO’s eastern flank – the Baltics – is still tense, so it is important to confirm that the allies continue to provide support for strengthening security, including by deploying larger military forces in the Baltic states. Scholz noted that Germany’s 35,000 rapid-reaction troops would be ready to provide immediate support to their allies in an emergency.

Scholz reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to be involved in the defense of any NATO country “from the first centimeter” should such a threat arise. At the same time, the European Union must increase its own security and increase its armament production capacity for its own needs.

Scholz reminded that Germany and the Baltic states have been partners in the European Union (EU) and NATO for 20 years, and Germany also provides support in supporting NATO’s eastern flank, namely with its soldiers in Lithuania and airspace control from Estonia and now Latvia.

On Monday, the heads of the governments of the Baltic States, Evikas Silinas (JV), Kaja Kallas and Ingrīda Šimonīte, met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Riga. Security and defense issues, topical issues of the European Union’s agenda, support for Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression, as well as economic cooperation and the development of regional projects in the fields of energy and transport were at the center of the talks between the heads of government.

The State Chancellery states that the “3+1 format” has become a tradition in which the leaders of the Baltic states discuss current issues with the Chancellor of Germany. The purpose of the meetings is not only to strengthen the cooperation between the Baltic States and Germany, but also to coordinate joint action in solving the most important international challenges.