BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 21. During a working visit to Germany from June 18–20, Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, held high-level meetings with German officials to deepen bilateral relations, enhance security cooperation, and promote economic ties ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague on June 24–25, Trend reports.
Minister Braže met with her German counterpart, Dr. Johann Wadephul, to discuss the security situation in the Baltic Sea region, regional defense cooperation, Ukraine support, and the acceleration of Europe’s defense industry. Both ministers expressed strong commitment to advancing sanctions against Russia and strengthening NATO and EU capabilities.
Braže extended an invitation to Dr. Wadephul to visit Latvia, which was accepted. She expressed appreciation for Germany’s leadership in Baltic security:
“Germany is a key NATO Ally. We value its leadership of the multinational brigade in Lithuania and its regular participation in NATO Air Policing and joint exercises in the region,” said Braže.
Minister Braže also gave a keynote address at the Kiel Security Conference, emphasizing the urgency of building Europe’s defense capacity and the growing threat posed by Russia to the transatlantic community.
Additionally, Braže met with General Carsten Breuer, Chief of Defense of Germany, to discuss strengthening NATO’s deterrence posture and Latvia-Germany defense cooperation.
Germany is Latvia’s second-largest foreign trade partner, and bilateral trade continues to grow, with Latvian service exports to Germany increasing by 5.5% in 2024. During her visit, Braže emphasized expanding cooperation in biomedicine, ICT, renewable energy, defense industry, and innovative technologies.
With Hamburg’s First Mayor, Dr. Peter Tschentscher, Braže discussed close cooperation in port digitalization and maritime technology. A key milestone was the signing of a multilateral memorandum on June 19 between LMT, the Free Port of Riga, the Port of Hamburg, SIA Elektroniskie sakari, Hamburg Fleet, and LVR Flote. The agreement aims to advance digital innovation and resilience in the Baltic Sea port ecosystem.
Braže also met with Schleswig-Holstein Prime Minister Daniel Günther and local business leaders. Discussions focused on increasing German investments in Latvia, especially in green energy and high-tech sectors. Representatives of H. & J. Brüggen KG, who recently acquired 50% of AS Rīgas Dzirnavnieks, shared their positive experience of investing in Latvia.
During her time in Berlin, Minister Braže also joined a high-level panel discussion hosted by The Financial Times, focusing on strengthening European and NATO security.