Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said this, noting his active contact with the French president on security and defense issues. According to him, Macron also expressed readiness to strengthen France’s military presence in Latvia, especially in air defense.
Kulbergs said that such a commitment would strengthen the security of Latvia and the entire eastern flank of NATO. The French delegation is expected to arrive in the country soon to begin consultations.
Latvia has become the latest country in the region with which France is discussing expanded cooperation on nuclear security issues. Earlier, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that Tallinn had begun talks with Paris about participation in the initiative, and French Ambassador to Estonia Alexandre Escorcia confirmed that the sides are discussing this and other defense cooperation issues.
On September 14, Finland announced its accession to the initiative. The Finnish Defense Ministry clarified that the cooperation provides for consultations on nuclear doctrine, exercises, and the presence of French strategic air forces; before that, similar decisions were made by Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
Macron presented the Forward Nuclear Deterrence Initiative in March against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and discussions about European security guarantees. It envisages the temporary deployment of French Rafale fighter jets in allied countries, the use of their airspace and military bases, as well as in-flight refueling of aircraft; control over France’s nuclear arsenal remains with the country’s president.
France remains the only country in the European Union with its own nuclear weapons. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), its arsenal includes 280 ready-to-use warheads.
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