The Speaker of the Latvian Parliament said the presence of US troops in the region is 'the decisive factor of security'
The permanent military presence of the United States troops in the Baltic countries is a critical factor in maintaining security in the region, as stated by the Speaker of the Latvian Saeima, Inara Murniece, during a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress, Paul Ryan, in Washington, Delfi reported.
“We highly appreciate the strengthening of the presence of NATO forces in the Baltic region by sending combat groups. But for us the constant military presence and rotation of the USA in Latvia is important to us. The Kremlin's aggressive behavior threatens our region,” Murniece said.
She stressed that Latvia has made considerable efforts to strengthen its defense capability, and in 2018, 2% of GDP will be spent on defense needs.
The presence of allies is the foundation of the deterrence policy, she emphasized.
The Speaker of the Saeima also expressed her personal gratitude to the United States and the Speaker of the House of Representatives for their firm and unchanging position in maintaining security in the Baltic region.