If we fail Ukraine, it will be much harder to maintain peace in Europe – Latvian President

Edgars Rinkevics, President of Latvia, said that Russia is planning a long war in Ukraine, and that "it is important to actually fight for international peace, and peace in Europe, because if we stop Russia in Ukraine, then Russia is not going to be able to challenge other countries." Source: Rinkevics in an interview with AP, as reported by European Pravda Details: Rinkevics said it was important for the West to support both Ukraine and Israel against attacks on shared values and international order.

He said that it is in NATO's security interests "that both cases are viewed the same way".

"I do believe also that it will be much easier for us to keep peace in Europe if Ukraine succeeds rather than we let Ukraine down, or for that matter, also to let the situation in the Middle East to get out of control," the Latvian president added. Rinkevics said Ukrainian soldiers were fighting "in a very brave way" and that the West has "not provided as much [weapons] as we should have", meaning they have an obligation to respond to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's calls for more. He said Russia was mobilising its economy, resources and military equipment "for a very long war".

Moscow wants to "strangle" Ukraine after the Russians realised that they could not win the war quickly, he said, predicting that the occupiers will repeat their attacks on the Ukrainian energy infrastructure in the coming months, as it was the case last winter. Rinkevics said the EU and NATO should prepare for a prolonged war in Ukraine, AP reports. If the world sees that Europe and the United States are not able to support Ukraine, the Latvian president noted, "then I think that is going to be increasing pressure on Israel".

"Also, I think that Iran is going to be more assertive. Let's also not forget about the whole Asia region, and let's not forget about Taiwan," he said. Background:

• Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, believes that the war with Russia is moving to a new stage: "positional" warfare with static and exhausting battles.

  To win it, Ukraine needs advanced technologies.

• NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he expects Ukrainian Armed Forces to make progress in their fight against Russian occupying forces, noting that it will be tough.

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