Minister: No plan to send Latvian forces to Gulf warzone

There are currently no plans to involve Latvian forces in a possible operation to ensure free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, said Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds (Progressives), speaking on Latvian Radio on March 17th.

After launching his war on Iran, in tandem with Israel, American President Donald Trump has subsequently demanded that NATO allies send forces to the Gulf to keep the strategically important Strait of Hormuz open. The demand has met with a muted response.

"Our soldiers are in the NATO mission in Iraq. Soldiers are in the United Nations missions in both Lebanon and Israel. Also in the European Union mission "Aspides" in the Red Sea. Currently, plans for further involvement - they would need to be adopted by the government and the Saeima. Currently, such a plan has not been on the agenda," noted Sprūds.

When asked whether Latvian forces would even have the necessary resources to engage in such an operation escorting shipping, Sprūds indicated that this would need to be thoroughly evaluated.

"There have been no such plans at the moment. Because the most important thing on our part – our interest, our needs and our goals – is to ensure, first and foremost, what is currently in our missions. And secondly – ​​and what is most important – to ensure the security of our own eastern flank and Latvia. When we evaluate participation in missions as a whole, we first evaluate what direct impact it has on our own security here, on the eastern flank and in Latvia," Sprūds said. 

The minister indicated that, in his opinion, involvement in such an operation should be decided at joint NATO or European Union level, even though what is happening in the Middle East is a US and Israeli operation that was launched without consulting allies in advance.

"This is first and foremost a US and Israeli operation. Consequently, of course, the US and Israel also largely decide on the further solution for this particular operation. It is not a NATO operation. It is clear that this operation also has sufficiently significant global consequences, both on our wallets, on our costs in terms of fuel... Latvia, of course, is part of the European Union and NATO, and these decisions should first be made within the framework of the European Union and NATO regarding any further potential participation in any other operation," said Sprūds.

Asked to assess the White House host's claims that the allies' non-involvement in such an operation would be very bad for NATO's future, Sprūds essentially disagreed. In his opinion, actual cooperation within the alliance is more important.

"We also need to listen to the US position and concerns, but at the same time we also need to focus first on specific cooperation in practical terms... I do not see a direct impact on NATO. Because again - yes, words should be listened to, but the most important thing is joint work in strengthening the NATO alliance. Currently, we see both the US presence in Europe, the US presence on the eastern flank, and the presence of US soldiers in Latvia. And we, of course, are ready to actively continue this cooperation, this strategic partnership," Sprūds noted.