Latvian MFA after meeting with Koul: Sanctions against Belarus must be maintained
On September 17, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže met with John Koul, the US President's Special Envoy for Belarus. They discussed the situation on the Latvian-Belarusian border and possibilities to stop the Belarusian regime from using migration as a tool of pressure, the press service of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported .
Baiba Braže thanked the USA for supporting the security of Latvia and the Baltic countries, including for assistance in strengthening the Latvian border as an external border of the EU and NATO. She also noted the USA's involvement in the release of Belarusian political prisoners.
According to Braže, the international community must continue to pressure the Belarusian authorities as long as repression against citizens and actions that, in Latvia's opinion, pose a threat to the security of neighboring countries continue in Belarus.
The Minister informed the American special envoy about the situation on the Latvian-Belarusian border and the measures Latvia is taking to strengthen it. Since the beginning of 2026, Latvian services have prevented over 11,000 attempts of illegal border crossing from Belarus.
Braže stated that the Belarusian authorities continue to use migration as a means of pressure on Latvia and the European Union. According to her, this is not just a migration issue, but part of a broader strategy that, as the Latvian side claims, is intended to weaken the unity of allies, create additional burden on the Latvian border guard, and increase risks to the security of the EU and NATO borders.
The Minister also advocated for the continuation and strengthening of sanctions pressure on the Belarusian regime. According to her, sanctions must be maintained as long as repression continues in Belarus, the use of migration as a tool of pressure, and other actions that Latvia considers a threat to its security and the security of other EU and NATO countries.