Washington — Latvia’s Prime Minster Krisjanis Karins warned European and American leaders to not succumb to “war fatigue” as Russia’s war against Ukraine continues, driving up food and energy prices around the globe. Interview with CBS News: Karins stated that leaders of countries not directly involved in war can lose their commitment to helping the country in need.
He advised countries facing inflation to accept it as a small cost to pay as “Ukrainians have been paying with their lives.”
NATO announced this week that the NATO military alliance’s high readiness forces would be substantially increased from 40,000 troops to over 300,000 troops. The focus will be on the Eastern flank, which is close to Russia’s borders.
Latvia, a NATO member with a land border to Russia, will be the host of the largest NATO force with 1,887 soldiers. Estonia will host 1,632 troops, while Lithuania will have 1,632. Karins thanked the U.S. and its decision to increase troop presence in the East, stating that the announcements made at the NATO summit in Madrid had placed the security alliance on the “right track.”
After leaving that summit, President Joe Biden promised that the U.S. would support Ukraine “as long it takes” and that more military aid would soon be announced.
Biden had earlier in the week reiterated America’s commitment in defense of its NATO allies. He referred to the Article 5 collective defence clause in the alliance charter.
The president stated Wednesday that he meant it when he said an attack on one is an attack upon all.
On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin visited Turkmenistan and stated that Russia would defeat Ukraine. He also said that Russia was not in a hurry to end the “special military operation” war.
In an interview with CBS News’ Margaret Brennan, the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Putin is likely to be ready for war against Ukraine, having been in preparation for it for at least one year.
Karins stated that NATO leaders should not worry about provocation by Putin, since “there’s nothing we can do in Europe or NATO to provoke or not provoke Putin.” He will follow his own path, no matter what we do.”
In June, the French President Emmanuel Macron warned of the need to not humiliate Russia in order that diplomatic means can be used to build an exit ramp when fighting ceases.
Karins claims that there is “political risk” in the argument that “we need peace at all costs, because it translates into peace at the expense of Ukraine.”
Latvia’s leader called it “ludicrous”, to think of any world leader willing to give up any portion of their country’s territory.
A May survey conducted by the Washington Post found that 72% of Latvian speakers considered Russia the main threat to their country. Nearly 80% supported an increase in NATO’s presence. The threat of Russia is looming large in the collective Latvian consciousness, given the long history of Russian occupation and invasion.
Karins warned against a Russian victory over Ukraine that “would radically alter the world order.”
It’s like giving the Devil your finger. He said that while it might sound appealing at first, in the end you are essentially taking the first step to giving up your way of living.”
Russia’s aggression through cyberattacks, disinformation and other means has already reached Latvia. Karins spoke of a “steady barrage of Russian cyberattacks,” which his country’s defense forces were able to withstand.
According to Latvian Radio, cyberattacks have been launched against Latvia by the Russian hacking group Killnet and its associate groups since May.
Karins claims that Russia’s disinformation campaign also targeted Russian speakers in Latvia as a way to “try and split our society.” According to Karins, the media watchdog in Latvia has shut down over 100 websites and television channels that have been spreading Russian propaganda since Putin invaded Ukraine in a full-scale attack on February 24.
Karins stated that Latvia’s efforts in filling the void left behind by Russian language channels with objective data are just as important.
He said, “We all need more.” “If Latvia, which does not have the most wealth in Europe, could donate one-third of its annual military budget to Ukraine then surely some of our neighbors who are more wealthy than we are today can do the same.”
