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Latvia highly values Italy's contribution to our national security through its military presence, which fortifies NATO's Multinational Brigade stationed in Ādaži. This effort is significant not only for our country but for the entire North Atlantic Alliance, as NATO's strength lies in collective action. This sentiment was emphasized by the Speaker of the Saeima, Daiga Mieriņa, on Monday, 23 December, during a parliamentary meeting with the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic, Lorenzo Fontana.

Lorenzo Fontana has arrived in Latvia to greet the soldiers of the Italian contingent of the NATO Multinational Brigade at the Ādaži military base during the pre-holiday period. Visiting Italian soldiers during Christmas is an established tradition of top Italian officials. The NATO Brigade is currently complemented by 273 military personnel from Italy.

“We are like-minded nations with a shared perspective on global affairs. We realistically acknowledge the threats posed by Russia to peace in Europe,” the Speaker of the Saeima remarked to her Italian counterpart. “Russia is not standing idle; its war machine has been set in motion and will likely continue its military build-up even after the war in Ukraine concludes. For peace in the region to endure, we must be prepared for all scenarios and capable of defending ourselves.”

“Russia's invasion of Ukraine was a harsh wake-up call for Western Europe. We have learned lessons from this and understood that we also need to be strong in the military field and be prepared to protect ourselves,” said the President of the Italian Parliament.

Speaker Mieriņa highlighted that the Baltic States form the European Union's and NATO's external eastern border, beyond which lies an aggressive and unpredictable neighbour. Considering the limited capacities of the border nations, the Speaker stressed the necessity for a unified European military support fund, whose resources could be allocated to strengthening the bloc's eastern frontier and developing its defence industries.

In discussing bilateral cooperation between Latvia and Italy, both parties affirmed their interest in enhancing economic collaboration and promoting interparliamentary dialogue. According to Ms. Mieriņa, a favourable foundation for cooperation in the fields of culture and education is provided by the Saeima’s parliamentary group established for cooperation with the Italian Parliament.

The Speaker of the Saeima also expressed gratitude to Italy for its participation in the Parliamentary Summit of the Crimea Platform, held in Riga in October this year.

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Saeima Press Service