Expecting the most from NATO but even a little helps

Tomorrow, NATO leaders will conclude their summit in Madrid, where a number of decisions are to be taken about Latvia and other countries sharing a border with Russia. The best possible decision for Latvia would be to confirm that a permanent military base for the alliance should be set up in Latvia, but politicians also stress that any NATO decision will strengthen our security.

In the run-up to the NATO summit, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and the Defense Minister spent a lot of time on various trips abroad, negotiating with allies to prepare the ground for decisions favorable to Latvia. A more aggressive policy to achieve identical goals was chosen by Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who stated in an interview with an influential international newspaper that the current NATO plans for the defense of the Baltic States mean that they will first be occupied and virtually destroyed before being liberated.

This statement led to public grumbling against Defense Minister Artis Pabriks (Development/For!, Attīstībai/Par!), who made no attempt to explain this message from a neighboring ally.

However, Juris Rancāns (Conservatives, Konservatīvie), Chairman of the Saeima Defense, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee, believes that there was no basis for criticism of Pabriks. He believes that the Estonian Prime Minister deliberately exaggerated in order to attract attention and promote decisions in favor of Estonia.

"It is right that ministers do not comment on NATO plans, because these plans are secret and some are top secret,"

said Rancāns. He stresses that there is no doubt that NATO is fully committed to protecting its member states. "I have no doubt that NATO will not allow anyone to conquer us. Just look at Ukraine. It is not a member state, but look at the actual situation - we see that it is perceived as a de facto partner because it is given all possible military assistance, except for the presence of troops. Imagine what would happen if someone thought of attacking Latvia. I have no doubt whatsoever that all military means would be used. I therefore wish to reassure heated minds that all the signals, all the political will, indicate that NATO's response would be very swift and decisive," said the head of the Saeima's responsible committee.

Lack of communication with the public

Edvīns Šnore, representing the National Alliance (Nacionālā apvienība) on the committee, believes that the Defense Ministry should pay more attention to communicating with the public, but that Kallas was right to raise perhaps exaggerated alarms. "This is a way for NATO to move things forward. Instead of constantly saying that everything is fine, while those who try to say something are called scaremongers. I think we need to change this rhetoric and be more direct. Speaking out is the way to go - there is nothing to be ashamed of, if we have nothing to shoot down high-flying missiles with then there is nothing to be ashamed of, we have to talk about it."

Raimonds Bergmanis, a non-factional opposition member of the committee, also believes that such statements need to be commented on and explained, because the Kremlin is very happy with such statements and they are used for propaganda.

"All narratives that we are weak and vulnerable need to be refuted,"

said Bergmanis.

At the same time, he admits that despite the fact that there is now a full understanding in the Alliance of the need to strengthen NATO's eastern bloc, it is not easy to sustain. Bergmanis, a former defense minister, is also convinced that NATO is ready to defend every inch of the territory of every NATO member state.

Hoping for a permanent NATO presence

Asked what decisions by the leaders of NATO member states would be particularly favorable for Latvia, Šnore stressed that first and foremost it would be to increase NATO's presence and establish a permanent base. In his view, the establishment of such a base does not necessarily require the creation of a new military base similar to Ādaži - mobile deployment sites would suffice.

"Because in war, a permanent base is a permanent target."

Šnore also believes that Latvia needs to get more serious support for its air defense. "We don't have the systems we need. We see that Russia, whose weak point, at least at the moment, is its land army, uses what it has - missiles and artillery," the MP said.

For his part, Bergmanis, confident in NATO's readiness and ability to react lightning-fast to an invasion of a member state, believes that "whatever is decided, all of it will help us".

At the same time, he admits that the best news would be a confirmation of the establishment of a permanent base in Latvia. "That would be the best scenario." Asked how he felt about his colleague's suggestion to establish a mobile base, Bergmanis says that it would not be anything new for the soldiers, because they live in such bases during their missions.

"Ideally, there should be a base like the one in Ādaži [which takes time and money to build], but if we act quickly - it is nothing new for soldiers to live in well-equipped tents or temporary container-type premises. But now I understand that the announcement will be about the establishment of a second base," the MP said, acknowledging that such a task is not easy.