The Diplomat
Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares will travel to Latvia this week to discuss with his NATO counterparts the buildup of Russian forces in Ukraine, the use of migrants by Belarus or the Alliance’s next Strategic Concept, whose approval should take place during the Madrid Summit in June 2022.
The meeting of NATO foreign ministers will be held on November 30 and December 1 in Riga, capital of Latvia, a country where there are 300 Spanish soldiers in the framework of NATO’s operation Enhanced Forward Presence. Last July, Latvian Prime Minister Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš took advantage of the official visit to Riga by President of Government Pedro Sánchez to express his “gratitude” to Spain for its “very important” contribution to NATO. “Spain has the second largest military contingent at the Adazi base,” he stated.
As NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg explained last Friday, the foreign ministers’ meeting in Riga will address the buildup of Russian forces in and around Ukraine. “NATO’s approach to Russia remains unchanged. We keep our defence and deterrence strong, while remaining open for dialogue”, he said. The ministers will also discuss the situation on the border with Belarus and the use by Aleksandr Lukashenko’s regime of “vulnerable people to put pressure on allies Poland, Latvia and Lithuania”.
The ministers will also exchange views on NATO’s role in arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation and on the Alliance’s engagement in Afghanistan, identifying appropriate lessons for future crisis management operations. Moreover, according to the secretary general, during the meeting there will also be discussions on NATO’s next Strategic Concept, the “Madrid Strategic Concept,” as the director general for Foreign and Security Policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Federico Torres, recently called it. “It needs to take account of new realities, including Russia’s aggressive actions, a more assertive China, emerging and disruptive technologies, and the security impact of climate change. It will drive our continued adaptation in a more competitive world,” Stoltenberg explained during his media appearance.
Ministers will also discuss developments in the Western Balkans and NATO’s continuing role in promoting stability and security in the region. The session will be joined by Finland and Sweden, two Alliance partners, and EU High Representative Josep Borrell.
