Latvia could be the next target of Russian military aggression after Ukraine because the Russian authorities are using the same narratives about it, Focus.de reports.
The Kremlin authorities are using the same narratives against the Baltic states that Russia has used to justify invasions of various former Soviet republics over the past three decades, according to experts from the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
For example, on October 14, Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said that Latvian authorities are "persecuting" Russian-speaking people in Latvia. Russia, he said, must therefore "protect" its compatriots there.
The leader of the Liberal Democrats Leonid Slutsky said that Russians in Latvia are part of the Russian world. Russia has long argued that it is obliged to protect its “compatriots abroad“. This narrative has also been used to justify the invasions of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. They are also part of the Kremlin's efforts to create conditions that would justify future Russian aggression against NATO.
Against this backdrop, US President Donald Trump said he was disappointed with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. “I'm very disappointed because Vladimir and I had a very good relationship, probably still do. He really needs to end this war. And you know, right now in Russia there are long lines for gas... And suddenly their economy is going to collapse,” Trump said ahead of Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Washington.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that he will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington this Friday, where the two will discuss air defense Ukraine's defense and long-range missile strike capabilities. Zelensky said he shared with Trump a vision of how many U.S. Tomahawk missiles Ukraine needs for its military efforts against Russia and that the two leaders would discuss further details on the matter.