UNITED NATIONS — Latvia’s foreign minister warns that Russian President Vladimir Putin will try to achieve in peace talks what he hasn’t been able to accomplish in his war against Ukraine — weaken the United States and restore control over his smaller neighbor.
Baiba Braže spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday during a week of intense diplomacy between Europe and the United States following President Donald Trump’s upending of U.S. policy with his decision to hold direct talks with Russia, while excluding Ukraine and its European allies from the initial discussions.
Braže notes that Russia, with a population of 140 million, has managed to gain control of less than 20% of Ukraine, population 40 million, since it seized Crimea in 2014 and launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. Putin has failed to weaken the U.S. and the NATO military alliance it leads, or to oust the democratic government in Kyiv.
So, when it comes to seeking peace, “I think the difficulty is with the Russians, because Russians are the ones who want to weaken U.S. power, and who want to weaken the U.S. in the world overall,” Braže said.
What the world is seeing, she said, is that when Putin interferes in other countries he wants to control both territory and the political choices of their governments. In Syria, for example, he supported the authoritarian regime of Bashar Assad and got military bases on the Mediterranean.
But Putin hasn’t gotten what he wanted during the three-year war in Ukraine and “he will try to get it through the peace talks,” Braže said. “So, it’s important to clearly remember that perspective in whatever deal we negotiate or strike.”
She said although only U.S. and Russian officials took part in last week’s talks in Saudi Arabia, “Europe is included” in the peace discussions because of constant communications with both the Ukrainians and the Americans. She has been in Washington three times since mid-December and said she was heading there later Tuesday for talks with lawmakers and administration officials.
French President Emmanuel Macron met with Trump at the White House on Monday, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was due to meet with him on Thursday.
Braže stressed that Europe’s task now is to strengthen the transatlantic alliance and build up its own militaries and defense industries.
Last week, Latvia announced it will increase defense spending to 4% of GDP next year and continue to move toward 5%. NATO members have agreed to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense.
“We are investing in our own capability,” she said. “We wish all Europeans would do that. That’s one of the issues we are discussing.”
As NATO members, Braže said, Latvia and the neighboring Baltic states of Estonia and Lithuania need to make sure they are prepared for any future aggression from Russia. She said their focus is on deterrence — early warning, rapid response, military capability and political will.
The three Baltic states were occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II and fell under Soviet control after the war. Like Ukraine, they became independent countries with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Braže stressed Monday to the U.N. Security Council that “only Ukraine’s victory can ensure lasting security and put an end to Russia’s imperialist aggression.”
“We strongly believe that a rushed ceasefire will not lead to sustainable peace; instead, it will only embolden Russia, encouraging further expansion and putting global security at grave risk,” she said.
Macron said he had spoken to 30 European and allied leaders, with some saying they are willing to be part of security guarantees for Ukraine in a peace deal.
Braže said that while there have been preliminary discussions, there is no peace process yet.
When there is, she said, “We will be guided very much by the needs of Ukraine.”
“For any security force, we need military guidance,” Latvia’s top diplomat said. “We need military advice. What type of force is there? Where? Are the troops withdrawn on the Russian side from the contact line? How far? What is the location of any security force?”
But Braže said the most important thing is peace must be long-lasting, not just a ceasefire where war can restart again. “Nobody wants that,” she said.