Latvia's Prime Minister says EU finally heeds Baltic warnings on Russian threat

In an interview on The Europe Conversation, Latvia's Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs claimed the EU is only now waking up to the security risk that Russia represents, after a Russian drone hit a passenger train close to the Polish border and an alleged drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport. He emphasized that the Baltic region, having endured half-a-century of Soviet occupation, understands Russia's methods and had warned of escalation long before.

Kulbergs highlighted Latvia's high defence spending within NATO and its increasing debt to fund security, urging other EU members to follow suit and boost domestic arms production. He also called for a full ban on Western technological components that end up in Russian ballistic missiles, noting recent findings that such parts are still reaching Moscow. Finally, he stressed the need for public awareness of the threat, criticizing the gap between politicians and societies in conveying the seriousness of the situation.