Welcome to Latvia: Canadian-led multinational NATO defence celebrates third birthday

In June, three years will have passed since Canada-led troops were first deployed in Latvia, a NATO-member itself. During NATO’s deterrence exercise, the small northern European state of Latvia celebrated 100 years of independence and warmly welcomes Canada’s contribution to global peace and stability. Defence and freedom are closely connected in Latvia’s turbulent history and are ever more important for all of Europe since the Russian invasion of Crimea in 2014. What is Latvia? My personal answer is that Latvia is both an idea and a political reality, but not always at the same time. The last hundred years saw brutal interventions, oppression, and destruction from external powers—from some of our bigger neighbours. But still, we persisted, again and again. History is important for Latvians. We feel that our history is special. It follows the birth of an idea for self-determination from the mid-1800s—nurtured by hundreds of years of ancient culture—culminating in a hard-fought independence, won in the early 20th century. Yet we struggled to maintain and renew this freedom throughout the 1900s, often at great cost. Coming to terms with the consequences of this past is an ongoing process, especially our history of extreme turbulence that Latvians experienced during the two world wars and the Cold War. The dawn of the new millennium presented a significant turn of events and new opportunities to secure our freedom and independence, when Latvia joined NATO and the European Union in 2004. Both organizations embody the values and beliefs that Latvians have held close since we first fought for the idea of our own nation state. Latvia, the pearl of the Baltic Sea region, has seen a wealth of different traditions merge creating a unique and inimitable environment. Why has NATO deployed troops to Latvia with Canadian leadership, and why is it necessary to increase deterrence in the Baltic Sea region? First, there have been events in Europe over the past dozen years or so, that have caused concern among both citizens and leaders. Second, I believe that this deployment benefits all of Canada’s allies across Europe. Two-thirds of NATO member nations have joined this deployment. It comes with a clearly embedded message: you are not alone. These are powerful words coming from the strongest defence alliance that the world has ever seen. Furthermore, the multinational character of the battlegroup in itself—with a blend of countries from the north and south—is a clear message of determination, resolve, and friendship. Clearly communicating that one country is ready to protect another is a good thing. However, there are those who claim that such co-operation might irritate some states, and that it would be much safer if none of them demonstrated such support. I believe that this is wrong: hesitating and standing back could, on their own, invite provocation, and would cast doubts about NATO’s resolve to defend its territory. For example, only six years ago, Russia took Crimea with a combination of local proxies, direct military force, and with the threat of additional force ready to roll in. Moscow’s operation in Ukraine continues to this day. The lessons that we learn from the past (recall the Hitler-Stalin Pact in 1939 to carve up Europe, and which triggered the start of the Second World War), coupled with aggressive attempts to redraw borders in the current century, remind us that we need to do all that we can to eliminate any temptation to further redraw any other borders, especially those belonging to NATO members. NATO’s decision to deploy these battlegroups came after Russia placed three new divisions in close proximity to NATO’s eastern frontier. During the 2016 Warsaw summit, a decision was made to update NATO-wide policies and positions. All NATO nations have taken a mutual pledge to support each other at critical moments. As a country representing global strength and diversity, Canada has taken the lead on this initiative in Latvia. With its humanistic values, Canada naturally bolsters rule-based international and dynamic diplomacy. I have had the pleasure of meeting the many diverse communities in Canada who feel a close connection to the countries around the Baltic Sea and Europe in general—through history, family roots, and friends—and for them, Canada’s support is extremely important. Through its leadership, Canada is highlighting that NATO’s Article 5 really means all for one and one for all. To me, serving as ambassador of Latvia to Canada and having had the honour to meet Canadians from every province and territory, it makes sense that this country, which sees diversity as a strength, has had so much success leading the most diverse of all NATO battlegroups. We welcome Canada’s contribution to Euro-Atlantic defence and are honoured that Latvia is the host country for the Canadian-led NATO battlegroup. Canada is confirming that it is ready to stand up and fight for our common values in the face of those who seem uncertain about the distinctions between good and evil, and demonstrates that Canada is ready to square off with those who, unfortunately, have not learned the lessons of history. More than ever, people around the world seek progress—prosperity, innovation, and peace—not the dark ages or geopolitics from a bygone era. We need a foundation of customary international law and rules-based order under our feet. We need to live by common sense, and by the common values that guide the way by which we live. Personally, I am happy to see Canada so prominently represented on the world stage, particularly in Europe. Your presence and leadership in NATO and in the Baltic region is important and highly appreciated by all. The world needs more of Canada. In these times where we face multiple challenges, including a global pandemic, the situation is not easing, but requires permanent attention and monitoring. It is truly important to look beyond the immediate horizon but not look away from what is happening. The life and the freedoms that we all enjoy were built and fought for by our families and friends. They are precious and we must not take them for granted and require our constant vigilance and defence. Kārlis Eihenbaums is ambassador of Latvia to Canada. The Hill Times

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Welcome to Latvia: Canadian-led multinational NATO defence celebrates third birthday

Canada is confirming that it is ready to stand up and fight for our common values in the face of those who seem uncertain about the distinctions between good and evil.

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