Latvia could host nuclear weapons if NATO decides, says President Rinkēvičs

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs stated that Latvia could host nuclear weapons if a collective decision is made by NATO and a necessity arises. He noted that the Latvian Constitution, the Satversme, contains no legal prohibitions against such a deployment.

This follows recent developments in Lithuania, where the Seimas supported a vote to lift a constitutional ban on hosting weapons of mass destruction or foreign military bases on its territory. Rinkēvičs emphasized that while no concrete discussions regarding nuclear deployment in Latvia are currently underway, the country remains committed to NATO's collective security mechanisms, including nuclear sharing.

Addressing a proposal from the United Kingdom regarding nuclear defense for members of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF)—which includes the Baltic states, Nordic countries, and the Netherlands—Rinkēvičs remarked that nuclear deterrence prevents aggressors from unpredictable or large-scale actions. He noted that Latvia is already under the NATO nuclear umbrella provided by the US and the UK.