Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs warned Wednesday that expanding military cooperation between Russia and Iran is becoming an increasingly serious security threat. In an on-camera interview with News Media, he said Iranian drone technology has supported Moscow’s war in Ukraine as Latvia prepares to contribute to a U.S.-led mission in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Rinkēvičs said Latvia has made the political decision to send military specialists to support international operations in the Middle East after President Donald Trump appealed to European countries for assistance. Latvia, home to about 1.84 million people, remains a key NATO member on the alliance’s eastern flank.
“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 deepening partnership 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 Media)
“The first drones made by Iran, or based on Iranian designs, were used by Russia. Now the Russians are modernizing them and developing entirely new technologies. But the design is still Iranian.”
News Media reported earlier this week on documents obtained from Russia’s Foreign Ministry that outline a 2024-2026 cooperation roadmap between Russia and Iran. The agreement covers several areas, including nuclear issues, finance, aviation and infrastructure.
Asked whether Europe should play a more active role in opposing Iran’s military activities and answer Trump’s request for support, Rinkēvičs said Latvia had already begun taking steps to join an international operation 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 the United States and the coalition that is being formed,” he said.
Rinkēvičs said he hoped military operations would ultimately be followed by a political settlement and the restoration of global energy supplies. At the same time, he expressed doubts about the likelihood of successful negotiations with either Tehran or Moscow.
“It’s very, very difficult to have diplomacy with Iran. It’s very difficult with Russia,” he said.
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Addressing Europe’s broader security outlook, Rinkēvičs said Latvia had not seen signs of an imminent Russian military invasion, despite mounting concern 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 seize certain small pieces of Ukrainian territory 4½ years after the full-fledged [war began].”
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)
Rinkēvičs said Latvia’s more immediate threats come from sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns, which he described as intensifying. European leaders, he added, face the difficult challenge of preparing the public for potential dangers without fueling unnecessary panic.
The Latvian president also urged NATO to speed up its adaptation to the changing character of warfare, particularly as drones and missile systems assume a larger role on the battlefield.
Although conventional equipment such as tanks and armored personnel carriers remains important, Rinkēvičs said the war in Ukraine has shown how rapidly emerging technologies are reshaping modern combat.
Rinkēvičs welcomed higher NATO defense spending and credited Trump with pressing allies to invest more. However, he cautioned that additional money alone would not solve the alliance’s military readiness problems.
“You have money, but you cannot always buy the equipment immediately, or even place orders for it. And it may not be 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 Lithuanian 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.”