Tomass Pildegovičs
3.7K posts
@tpildegovics
Advisor to Latvian Foreign Minister 🇱🇻 @Braze_Baiba | PhD @Cambridge_Uni | previously @STRATCOMCOE @Europarl_EN // views my own
Right at the time when the leaders of the most powerful countries meet in Beijing and the world hopes for peace, predictability, and cooperation, Putin launched hundreds of drones, ballistic and cruise missiles, at the capital of Ukraine. This barbaric attack during such an important summit shows that the Russian regime poses a global threat to international security. Instead of peace and development, Moscow pursues aggression and terror. In Kyiv, entire blocks of residential buildings have been ruined, and there are killed and injured civilian people. Other cities and communities across the country came under strikes as well. Putin wants this war to continue in order to prolong his control and rule over Russia. There should be no illusions or wishful thinking: only pressure on Moscow can force him to stop. I am certain that the leaders of the United States and China have enough leverage over Moscow to tell Putin to finally end the war. And this would be the greatest positive development.
Ukraine wants peace, the U.S. wants peace, Europe wants peace. The only obstacle to peace is the butcher in kremlin, who wants his imperialistic war to continue to subjugate Ukraine, erase its democratic institutions, identity, language and culture.
We proposed Moscow to extend the partial ceasefire beyond May 11th. Instead, this night Russia launched over 200 drones against Ukraine, targeting civilian infrastructure, including a kindergarten, injuring at least six and killing at least one person. Putin’s repeated rejection of peace must have consequences for him. Stronger pressure through Ukraine’s effective long-range sanctions and our partners’ strong decisions. It is time to strengthen our positions and force Moscow to end the war. Putin must realise that it will only get worse for him. His only option must be to stop the terror. We call for Europe’s bigger role in the peace process, complementary to the mainstream US-led diplomatic track.
“Russia’s mass kidnapping and deportation of Ukrainian children is a crime under the Genocide Convention.” Latvia supports all practical efforts to #BringThemHome 🇺🇦. Thank you, Canada and Ukraine for leading the Coalition for the Return of Ukraine’s Children. @andrii_sybiha
I express my sincere gratitude to Latvia’s Minister of Defense, Andris Sprūds, for the productive cooperation and support for Ukraine. Latvia has been, and remains, our reliable ally. I am grateful to our Latvian partners for their clear understanding of what is at stake here in our part of Europe and in this war. I welcome the decision to nominate Colonel Raivis Melnis as the new head of Latvia’s Ministry of Defense. We know the Colonel well from his work in Ukraine – he has seen the war firsthand in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions. We hope for further expansion of strategic cooperation between our countries, particularly in the exchange of military experience in the defense industry, the development of drones, and electronic warfare systems.
Christian Schmidt concludes his mandate as High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina ohr.int/christian-schm…
I just had another exchange with @Braze_Baiba about the recent drone incidents in Latvia. The investigations proved that this was the result of Russian electronic warfare deliberately diverting Ukrainian drones from their targets in Russia. I reaffirmed Ukraine’s willingness to work together with Baltic nations and Finland to prevent such incidents, including with the direct involvement of our specialists. Our goal is to ensure maximum safety for Latvia, other Baltic states, and Finland. First, by effectively countering Russian agression and degrading Russia’s war machine. Second, by helping to strengthen the protection of our friends’ air space.
