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“This is undoubtedly a time of heightened stakes. It is a dangerous moment, but also one rich in opportunity—provided we know how to seize it. Today, foreign policy is no longer merely theoretical; it has a direct impact on the security, economy, and very existence of society,” emphasised Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, on Friday, 4 April, at the opening of the conference “EU Conversations: Europe for the New Age” held at the Parliament. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the conference.
It is of the utmost importance that the future world is founded on a rules-based international order, the Deputy Speaker stressed, noting that a just peace in Ukraine and holding Russia to account are essential prerequisites. Restoring the rule of law and justice is critically important, and tireless efforts must continue to achieve this goal.
For Latvia, a strong alliance with friends—the European Union (EU) and NATO—is vital. The world has fundamentally changed, yet the United States has played a key role in shaping the international order and supporting Western nations since the Second World War, including resisting the spectre of the Soviet Union. Even today, US policy continues in some respects to stimulate EU growth, stated Kalniņa-Lukaševica, calling for a fresh approach and a stronger Europe in this new era.
Europe had established its own strategies and plans for defence, economic development, and climate policy, but must now adapt to a new global environment, the Deputy Speaker noted, underlining the importance of strategic autonomy.
“We Latvians are highly demanding of ourselves and others. And there is no alternative—we must be faster, more capable, more decisive, because in our case, everything is at stake,” said Kalniņa-Lukaševica, highlighting Latvia’s progress in energy security and the strengthening of its defence industry.
Kalniņa-Lukaševica also identified foreign interference as a key issue on the international agenda. “States hostile to democracy now possess new tools to infiltrate our minds, our daily lives, and our societies,” she said. These states target the foundations of our society, aiming to turn the pillars of democracy into systemic vulnerabilities and to weaponise democracy against itself.
Over the past decade, Russia has sought to interfere in elections and referenda across the continent, the Deputy Speaker noted, adding that the aggressor state's democracy-undermining tactics are well documented and include cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, political sabotage, threats to journalists, instrumentalisation of migration, economic coercion, and corruption. “All these actions aim to erode the internal cohesion and resilience of democratic states,” said Kalniņa-Lukaševica, stressing that Russia is not the only hostile actor.
Knowledge, critical thinking, mutual communication, and the protection of cyberspace and electoral systems are just some of the areas that must be urgently addressed to strengthen democratic processes, Kalniņa-Lukaševica stated.
The Deputy Speaker also participated in the panel discussion “A New Age for the Foreign Policy of the EU”. A recording of the conference will be available on the Saeima’s website at www.saeima.lv, as well as on the parliament’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
The conference “EU Conversations: Europe for the New Age” brings together high-level Latvian and European officials and experts to discuss the European Union’s competitiveness, foreign and security policy strategies, and prospects for enlargement in the current geopolitical climate. It is organised by the Saeima European Affairs Committee in cooperation with the Latvian Institute of International Affairs and the European Commission Representation in Latvia.
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Saeima Press Service
