Not to attack, but to be strong in own country

His first official visit abroad took new Latvian Prime Minister Māris Kučinskis to Tallinn, where he met with his Estonian counterpart, Taavi Rõivas (Reform), on Monday.

At the press conference following the meeting, Kučinskis stressed the importance of cooperation between the Baltic states.

The two countries share interests as well as areas of concern. In the matter of the asylum seekers distribution quota, Latvia is ahead of Estonia, with the first refugees having made it to the country.

Kučinskis confirmed that the new arrivals were studying Latvian, and that the state was working on integrating them into society. Latvia has agreed to receive 531 refugees.

Latvian PM also said that security was an area where cooperation and coherent positions were important.

“We need coherent positions in all three countries to gain the strength not to attack, but to be strong in our own country,” the Prime Minister said about pan-Baltic cooperation in matters of national defense.

He went on to say that the Baltic countries had a good understanding of the elements of hybrid warfare, and that this understanding had to be shared with other European governments.