Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs warned Wednesday that expanding military cooperation between Russia and Iran is creating a growing security threat. In an on-camera interview with News Outlet, he said Iranian drone technology has supported Moscow’s war in Ukraine as Latvia prepares to contribute to a U.S.-led operation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Rinkēvičs said Latvia—a nation of about 1.84 million people and a key member of NATO’s eastern flank—had made the political decision to send military specialists to support international operations in the Middle East. The move follows President Donald Trump’s request for greater European assistance.
“Yes, I am concerned. Actually, we have already seen Iran helping Russia a lot, especially at the very beginning of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” Rinkēvičs said when asked about the strengthening relationship between Moscow and Tehran.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs speaks with reporters during U.N. General Assembly High-Level Week in New York City. (Brooke Curto/News Outlet)
“The first drones Iranian made, or Iranian-designed drones, were used by Russia. Now Russians are actually modernizing them, making completely new technologies. But, actually, the design is still Iranian.”
Earlier this week, News Outlet reported on Russian Foreign Ministry documents outlining a 2024-2026 cooperation roadmap with Iran. The plan covers a broad range of areas, including nuclear affairs, finance, aviation and infrastructure.
Rinkēvičs was also asked whether Europe should do more to counter Iran’s military activities and answer Trump’s appeal for support. He confirmed that Latvia had already begun steps to join an international mission in the Strait of Hormuz.
Soldiers walk along a road near a training range in Pabradė, north of the capital Vilnius, Lithuania, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
“From our side, we have already made a parliamentary decision. That our EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) diver specialists could be sent to the Strait of Hormuz or to the Middle East to help out the United States, the coalition that is being formed,” he said.
The Latvian president said he hoped military operations would ultimately lead to a political settlement and the restoration of global energy supplies. At the same time, he voiced doubts about the chances for negotiations with either Tehran or Moscow.
“It’s very, very difficult to have diplomacy with Iran. It’s very difficult with Russia,” he said.
On Europe’s broader security environment, Rinkēvičs said Latvia currently sees no evidence of an imminent Russian invasion, even as concern continues to grow over Moscow’s intentions toward NATO’s eastern flank.
“If Russia were able to attack us … that would have happened already,” he said. “The Russian military is not the same as it used to be back in 2022. Remember they tried to take Kyiv in three days. They are still trying to take some certain small pieces of Ukrainian territory 4½ years after the full-fledged.”
Iran conducts joint military exercises with Russia in the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. deployed surveillance drones. (Iranian Army/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Instead, Rinkēvičs identified sabotage, cyberattacks and information campaigns as the more immediate threats facing Latvia. He said those activities are intensifying and warned that European leaders must prepare the public for potential dangers without provoking unnecessary alarm.
He also called on NATO to speed up its response to the changing character of warfare, particularly the expanding use of drones and missile systems.
Traditional equipment such as tanks and armored personnel carriers remains necessary, he said, but the war in Ukraine has shown how rapidly emerging technologies can reshape the battlefield.
Rinkēvičs welcomed NATO’s higher defense spending and credited Trump with pressing allies to invest more. However, he cautioned that increased budgets alone would not solve the alliance’s readiness problems.
“You have money, but not always you can buy the stuff immediately, or at least you can order things. And they are delivered soon enough,” he said.
U.S. Army soldiers march during a military parade on Armed Forces Day in Vilnius. Armed Forces Day honors the restoration of the Lithuania armed forces on Nov. 23, 1918. (Yauhen Yerchak/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Rinkēvičs said he plans to meet with U.S. defense companies during his visit to the U.S., saying, “When it comes to the U.S. support, let me just say that the United States does an amazing job already. We do have U.S. troops, not big numbers, but I think sufficient numbers are now stationed in our airbase in Lielvārde.
“U.S. presence in the Baltics is very important, and we are working with our U.S. partners about further rotations.”
