Bloomberg Talks Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics Talks Russian Aggression
Sep 23, 2025
In this conversation, Edgars Rinkevics, the President of Latvia and former foreign minister, delves into crucial topics regarding regional security and defense. He emphasizes the need for NATO to strengthen its rules of engagement amid rising tensions caused by Russian fighter jet incursions. Rinkevics discusses innovative defense strategies like a drone wall, drawing lessons from Ukraine's experience. He strongly advocates for Europe to halt oil purchases from Russia, positioning U.S. LNG as a potential game-changer in European energy dynamics.
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Upgrade NATO Engagement Rules
- Push NATO to adopt stricter engagement rules so persistent airspace violations meet firm responses.
- If Russian aircraft keep violating NATO airspace, show of force and potential shoot-downs must be on the table.
Build A Drone And Air-Defense Layer
- Invest in anti-drone systems and convert Baltic air policing into full air defense with upgraded rules of engagement.
- Show of force, like NATO maritime patrols, has already changed Russian patterns and can deter further incursions.
Show Of Force Changes Russian Behavior
- Russians typically stop certain incursions when NATO visibly increases patrols and defenses.
- But they then pivot to other methods to test and challenge the alliance, so vigilance must be continuous.