Latvian defense minister: Europe “can do a lot” with its 2 million soldiers for Ukraine peacekeeping

Latvia’s Defense Minister Andris Sprūds stated that Europe has approximately two million soldiers, emphasizing “we can do a lot” regarding potential peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine.

According to RFE/RL, Sprūds said:

“There are countries that are now also discussing, considering at the national level, what they can do. Of course, engagement is extremely important. We must remember that in Europe there are about 2 million soldiers, that is, 2 million in uniform. So in reality, we can do a lot.”

However, the Minister noted that the peacekeeping efforts are unfolding against a backdrop of uncertainty.

“Another question is how effective we are, how capable of forming mobile forces. And again, this is a broader context. What is a peace agreement or ceasefire framework? So there are several puzzle pieces that we need to put together,” Sprūds said.

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The Latvian minister noted that “reassurance forces” are being discussed as part of these considerations.

“And Latvia, we believe, potentially also, of course, will make its contribution, but again, this is specifically related to a peace agreement or ceasefire parameters,” Sprūds noted.

According to Sprūds, Latvia and other countries on NATO’s eastern flank must also ensure regional defense against potential aggressor states—implicitly referring to Russia.

“Therefore, of course, by providing military personnel or representatives or contributions to ‘reassurance forces’ in Ukraine, we must not weaken our own defense while being on the border with an aggressor country. And we take this very seriously,” he emphasized.