Latvia pushes for permanent US troop presence on its soil

By Omer Faruk Yilmaz

GENEVA (AA) – Citing Russia’s war on Ukraine, Latvia on Monday called for US troops to have a permanent presence on the Baltic country’s soil.

“Looking at the most recent developments, we would be very happy about the permanent presence of U.S. forces here in Latvia,” Edgars Rinkevics told a joint news conference in Riga alongside Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state.

“We have no illusions about [President Vladimir] Putin’s Russia anymore,” Rinkevics said. “We don’t really see any good reason to assume that Russia might change its policy.”

EU member Latvia shares a 214-kilometer (133-mile) border with its giant neighbor Russia.

Since Russia began its war against Ukraine on Feb. 24, it has drawn international condemnation, led to financial sanctions on Moscow, and spurred an exodus of global companies from Russia.

At least 406 civilians have been killed and 801 others injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, according to UN figures.

More than 1.7 million people have also fled to neighboring countries, the UN Refugee Agency said.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan