Welcome to come pick tone. Thank you very much. Great to be your Prime Minister was just in the us recently trying to persuade congress to unblock the military assistance with the white house of promise to ukraine. She made the point of several times, russia must not be allowed to win this war. If russia does win the war, it will be down to they hesitate, action and refusal of the west to give it the weapons it needs to when it was the idea of sunk in yet in the west as well. Uh i think it, i think it is, and if, if we look uh not on the other side of plastic that on what is happening in europe. Uh, so in europe, uh, when the world was starting, there was just a small handful of countries that were providing on steve trade. The baltics of poland. Others were in the beginning, more hesitant. Now we see that there is a full throated support for ukraine. We just the, in the European Union, voted 50000000000 and the green, 50000000000 over 4 years that will support the government. We have the check initiative to get ammunition also outside of the European Union. We have seen that, for example, germany has gone almost 180 degrees from a very pacifist stands for, for obvious historical reasons to actually being the largest supporter of ukraine now. And now we see the french president coming with an initiative to, you can read it many ways, but as a, as, as alexia and foreign minister, i read it, rather simply that the french also understands that not only ukraine has to win, but russia has to lose the war, otherwise its, its a, its a big Security Threat for all of your body of russia. It does when what i think, what is the resistance is a little too light to little into light . Well, i think right now we have to focus on what we can do. So that does not happen because if they were to, when they will have learned the less than that might makes, right . They will have assume that the west is, is, is somehow weak or divided or unwilling to stand up against him. And that aggression will continue in one direction or another. So in order for that aggression not to go on because it probably wont go away, russia will be aggressive at the end of the more, even if they lose the war. Because put, than just secured another 6 years for himself, that means their policies will remain unchanged. And i think this is a big wake up call for all of us that and in the sense, the lack of the vote in the us congress for the 60000000000. 00 support package for you. Train is a wake up call to us here in europe. That we have to get our military industry up to par. We have to make sure that we are investing in our own defense. And we have to make sure that we have a large enough and capable enough of armies. The militarys a to stand up for to any right, so that, that threat never materialized system that is called the turns that is with nato is all about. And within nato theres the united states. But there are also a 31. 00 other countries, including all of us here in europe, and we have to do our share as well. Yes. Uh, some of the countries, of course, havent been doing their share and i want to come onto back to them in a minute. You talked about germany turning a 180 degrees from its previous thoughts. What do you think of germanys refusal to provide long range taurus, missiles to ukraine . Of course, as if it has not been politician, i agree with those that it would be certainly beneficial to the training efforts if they had a these missiles at the same time, i have to say that unfortunately the discussion about the part of the missiles, a clouds over the, the sheer fact of the volume of a, the germany is actually giving. And its rather unfortunate that because of the house you say, a debate over one part of the age, its overshadowing everything that germany is doing. So from a Public Relations point of view, its too bad that this is distracting from actually the big story of germany. Support has an issue. Im sorry to interrupt you, but hasnt, hasnt germany and the west as well. Being far too scared about most goes rhetoric. Its nuclear are talking about is nuclear arsenal. Do you worry that the alliance looks weak to russia . Um, well the alliance is growing. Uh, thanks to russia. We have no finland and sweden, uh, in the alliance. Uh, thanks to rushes aggression in europe as we see in germany. Elsewhere, governments are actually quite massively stepping up investments in their own defense, thanks to russias war in ukraine. Our defense interest the, all those slow is making the investments now and where we are behind the russian curve because they knew they were going to weather on the work for they were getting there a so im inside nato is on the low 50 foot thing or should be on a war footing. It is moving in that direction. Now we in the baltics and then last year from, for 2 years, even before, before this, this outbreak were started, we were arguing that russia is a real Security Threat. A russia is, is a challenge to all of us. And for many years, we were told by many of our good friends and colleagues and allies that maybe were a little bit alarm, as it turns out. Unfortunately, that we were right. I, i wish i was wrong in this regard and it is taken. So in the baltics it was, we never had any doubts about this. So we reacted very quickly. And then some other societies, the reaction has been slow or the extra reaction has been changed with a certain fear or pressure. And we, in the baltics have continually said, theres nothing to fear in a sense, but fear itself by russia understands power. If we are strong, russia will never attack, and if we are strong, russia will lose in ukraine as well. You said in january, russia will not stop. Russia can only be stopped. Stopping in. Russia does not mean that its over. It simply means we will have to continue. Are you saying that you have evidence russian could intends to invade and seize of a Southern States of the southern countries in europe. But no a. But if he reads in the public sphere, everything that pretend has been saying his speech is the philosophies the doctrines of they are on an aggressive imperialistic direction. And this will not change uh, because of the ukraine. Although the success of that is what we have to change, but even after the end of this work, what im arguing that we in nato will have to have a many or i would say, in order to understand the scope, a 20, or a containment and deterrence a effort to make sure that the rushes aggression never materialized is that is their internal wishes to somehow expand or intimidate neighbors. Youre being a neighbor simply could never materialize because we are so visibly strong and we are getting there we have though, and they to the of the, of the it has forward presence. Also, the german, the german presence in between that, the canadians, and in last year the brits in estonia and many other allies as well. We already have a much more robust presence. Theyve been, we did 2 years ago. Yes. But minister used to use you say that, but we talked about the 60000000000 usa package that hasnt come through for ukraine. So i would ask whether europe can rectify the that enormous shortfall and its own defense spending. Natos european members need to stump up another 56000000000 euros a year just to meet the alliances defense spending targets that comment. Defense spending targets. And theres no sign that theyre going to do that is that its an expense belgium. Then the wendy of the target of 2 percent of g d, p, out there that the nato requires fact to is if the west is serious about you, crazy wanting to wait and then its time to west up to its game, isnt it . And i, i agree, it is time to the west up its game and it is happening from a locked in perspective. I think for me, ukrainians perspective, its happening rather slow. Uh, but it is happening. This is why we are continuing. Not only to argue, but weve put our money where our mouth, so we are moving up to 3 percent of a g, d p on defense spending. Weve pre introduced the draft. Were buying new defensive weapon systems and we are continuing to provide aid on a regular basis to ukraine. We are participating in the check initiative to buy a broad ammunition. So we are, we are doing everything that we think all allies could do. And it looks like, according to estimates that i have seen, that before they tell us or for europe, i should say to be able to, to, to fully, but mostly a, to fund its own defense. If it needs within nato, the number would not be a 2 percent of g. D. P will be closer to 3 percent of g d p. If we all spent this and all of us spent this, we might have some simple supplies for ourselves and for your brain thats, thats a big if, isnt it . Because pose conducted by nato show, pretty low levels of support for increasing defense spending. And thats in some of the member countries with the biggest shortfalls, like its only only 28 percent of people in that country. Want to spend more on defense. If you dont get the money for this. None of these grand plans and none of the promises that were initially made to ukraine are going to be met, solve a to well i, i agree, is that not everyone is there, but if we look, turn back the clock 2 years. Uh, the number of countries not meeting 2 percent, which much greater, that number is decreasing. And if we also look at the countries that you mentioned, a defense spending is going up. We want that curb to go up faster. And this is the difference between also various politicians. Politicians can take the stance of looking at Public Opinion and following Public Opinion or what i think what is needed that this if this time are politicians who argue a to the electorate. What it is that we have to do, what is the right thing to do and to make the policy happen . And the good news is that sense of urgency is expanding in europe. We see, and the Cost Initiative is actually just in the spring. It needs to go further, but it is, we are certainly much, much further down the road. Then we were a 2 years ago. Nato is already more capable. It has 2 additional countries in the alliance. And even in the European Union, it took us a little while to agree on the 50000000000 assistance for ukraine, but we did it. But as things stand, unless that money is forthcoming, nato and the European Union are going to be guilty once again of over promising. Im the delivering. And thats and thats a Bad Reputation tap. Let me ask you this. If you were a foreign minister of ukraine at the moment, how satisfied would you be with nato . Those are the contributions over the last couple of years. How satisfied would you be . Well, i made with my a good friend mister, cool of on a regular basis. And of course, as she feels and, and very rightly so that we need to step up the efforts. And we, in lots of fully agree with him. And we are not only arguing how should we say that you should do it . Not us. We are trying to also lead by example, more than one percent of gdp has gone out to ukraine. So far. Were continuing the effort, of course, they need weapons and ammunition. They dont need promises. And its very concrete what they need. And we have a very concrete initiative now headed by the checks they have found the munition. Now, its up to the rest of us to help fund and pay the money to buy the ammunition and to physically deliver it to ukraine. Lets talk about the nature of strategy and nature plans um, just 2 years ago, your name, but its totally a complain bitterly that nate has planned for its defense was wholly inadequate. Because it involves allowing a potential rush in advance into the country with the aim of pushing it back 6 months later on those plans, the progress, the said estonia would be wiped off the map and the Historic Center of the capital raised to the ground is not the kind of plan nato device for a lot fear as well. Um, lets look at the plans that we adopted the last summer, invidious. Uh, these are new plans. Uh, they are now being uh, implemented also in terms of training, the largest natural military exercises a to date which is under this old crime wasnt fit for purpose. Was it the, the old plan was based on a different world, which is a world where there is not were in ukraine. The new plan is based on the reality that russia is not only a see a rather cold, but, but a very real threat. And the plans have been adopted, but nature was suppose to prepare for war. It wasnt supposed its not bad for peace. Time is not there for decoration. Is it . Uh no, its not. And if you remember, it was just a few years ago that the french president even said that nato was brain dead. I think that was the term that he used, but things change and with the change. So who is brought about the change is a mr. Put in and the russian one machine and that the difficulty in the i could spend all of my time as luck in 5 minutes, start complaining about what we have not done. But i also have to acknowledge that incredible amount has been done. We simply need to continue and to do more and the direction is very, very positive. Again, if we take a look at germany, germany crates, its a 100000000000 euro, a defense fund, which is now being implemented as germany builds up its armed forces. This is very, very good for all of nature, and this is what we need. So its the step by step pledges and realization. The difficulty in the frustration that i feel is that as we are going step by step, russia is going full frontal forward. And theres this balance between the policy of russia and the democracy of nature. And what we have to realize is that we need to move it into the next year. Were in 2nd gear. We need to get to 4. And then the fiscal year ukraine ken, when this war is also given the tools to when its a bad thing about the way its justified and, and having it spouts minutes. But theres a lot of talk about nato security guarantee to its members. But these on cost on guarantees of a doesnt mean that nato troops, when the means of a rush into battle against anyone threatening a member country, does it . How safe do you feel . How safe those lots, via feel . With this famous article 5 treaty on the books, we feel very safe. And what has to be remembered that in lafayette, as in the baltics, thats an entire easter fling. At theoretically, if an attack were to happen, nato troops wouldnt have to rush in there all over the here. Theyre here on a daily basis its, its physically impossible and very small numbers in very small numbers. Its physically impossible to attack any of the baltic countries without attacking other countries, nato soldiers at the same time. And that, that is that, but in and of itself is part of the turns. And those numbers you say are small. But 5 years ago they were much smaller. So the numbers are actually increasing and the canadian, a government which is heading the, the, the natal efforts in latvia has placed also budgets already money. Still very real money a to move up to a full brigade, and you can say, well, theres one brigade is 10 brigades. This is the question for the, for the military people, im a politician. But the, the ramping up is very, very visible surface. Article 5 is, is a guarantee for all Member States is i would ask you whether you think that the u. S. Is the lead nation in nato with go to ball, say, for the sake of albania or north macedonia, or o slovenia. I say its not going to work for the sake of someone. We are all in the military alliance together, and that is our combined power. The combined power is for 75 years where nato has been working. It has the 3rd war, and that is its goal. Nature was not form and its not working in europe in order to fight a war. Nature was there so that a war would never have to be fought. And the difficulty the brain has is that it is not in nature, it was not in mitchell for the attack. And that, i think, is the reason that the what, what fulton was speculating on because its not the nato, no one would help it. But look, were even ating ukraine, even though we have no formal obligation to do so. And the, so the Nato Alliance is a preventative alliance is not supposed to fight a war, although its fully capable of doing so. Its supposed to prevent a war which it has done for many years. And its right now we have, we have to increase our capability to stop the russian war machine before the war is broader and to stop it in ukraine. Well, yes, i mean, the idea, well, there wouldnt be a war, but just an idea. Well, that wouldnt be the more that we already have in, in europe. You mentioned the presence of microns reason, suggestion, but fronts could conceivably send troops to ukraine not on his own, but as part of a Multi Lateral deployment would like to and principal, be prepared to join such a mission to this is a very sooner escalation, as youre talking about what my calls a suggestion, i think that the strength of this suggestion is it starts to create strategic ambiguities for russia. And my con does have a point in nato, in democracies, we have all the time, put down red lines. What we wont do, what we wont do, what we will not do, and forgot forgetting about the fact that russia looks at this and says, oh, well, we can help, they wont do this. They wont do that. They wont do the 3rd my call and suggest and actually create strategic. I think you would be for russia a and sort of blurs the red lines that we have a drawn ourselves. So the point is not now to say what we will or what we wont do. What we must do with nato is increased suspended, increase our defense interest rate, a do all of this in a very visible and transparent manner. So that put in sees we are serious problem, i call search these allies not to be cowardly. These are the moment was being approached in europe where it will be appropriate, not to be a college, has nato being cowardly. Have individual countries being cowardly. You know, i would argue, no, nato has shown no indication of being a cowardly a nato has shown the opposite. Uh, as the pressure comes up, natal upsets game. The only issue at hand is we need to up our game quicker. Thats all thats it, thats, thats it stakes. Thats all the discussion that we need to do. Everything that were doing, we simply need to do it quicker. I want to talk if im in the remaining time that we have about some of the responses your government has made inside latvia to the war and ukraine, notably the decisions a phase of russian language is one of your countries, official languages in the media. And then education to check the loyalty of russian speaking minorities who account for almost 30 percent of your population. I want them in as to how this could have been anything but deeply devices in your country. While i have to correct some things that youre saying, theres simply not true. So russian has not been an official language of the country since we regained our independence. We have one official language that is lock