UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥 Latvia鈥檚 president says Russia is planning for a long war in Ukraine and he has a message for countries wavering on continuing military support to Kyiv: Keep supplying arms or the Ukrainians will lose and Russia will have a green light for threatening others in the future.
Edgars Rink膿vi膷s said in an interview with The Associated Press that 鈥渋t is important to actually fight for international peace, and peace in Europe, because , then Russia is not going to be able to challenge other countries.鈥
He pointed to the disruptive role that Russia鈥檚 Wagner mercenary group is playing in Africa and to Russian meetings with officials from Hamas, the Gaza Strip鈥檚 ruling militants whose surprise attack in Israel on Oct. 7 killed some 1,200 people.
In July, Rink膿vi膷s was sworn in as president of Latvia, which was part of the Soviet Union until its break-up in August 1991. The Baltic nation, population 1.9 million, in 2004 joined both the European Union and NATO, holding a key point on their eastern flank with its 214-kilometer (133-mile) border with Russia.
Rink膿vi膷s, who was Latvia鈥檚 foreign minister for 13 years before being elected president, said that despite some members of the 27-nation EU having 鈥渢heir opinions,鈥 at the end of the day the alliance has agreed on sanctioning Russia and on providing more support to Ukraine over Russia鈥檚 February 2022 invasion.
鈥淚nterestingly enough, at this point, the rather than to Ukraine,鈥 he said in Thursday's interview.
He said it is and Israel against attacks on 鈥渙ur values鈥 and the international order. He also stressed the need to push for humanitarian pauses in the Gaza fighting to provide assistance to Palestinian civilians, whose death toll in Israel's retaliation for the Hamas attack has topped 11,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Rink膿vi膷s said Iran is 鈥渧ery pleased to see this kind of development in the Middle East," and pointed to Tehran鈥檚 supply of arms and other equipment to Russia for its fight in Ukraine.
It's in NATO's security interests "that both cases are viewed the same way,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 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.鈥
Rink膿vi膷s said Ukrainian soldiers are fighting 鈥渋n a very brave way鈥 and the West has the responsibility to respond to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy鈥檚 appeal for more weapons, 鈥渂ecause we have not provided as much as we should have.鈥
He said Russia is mobilizing its economy, resources and military machinery 鈥渇or a very long war.鈥 It tried to win the war quickly and realized it can鈥檛, and now Moscow wants to 鈥渟trangle鈥 Ukraine, he said, predicting it will reprise attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure in the coming months, as it did last winter.
Rink膿vi膷s said the EU and NATO need to prepare for a long war in Ukraine.
鈥淭he EU has realized that we need more defense and military,鈥 he said. 鈥淎nd at this point, I would love to see that this is going to be a bit faster process. But still, those things are now finally moving.鈥
But many European members of NATO still need to reach the target of spending 2% of GDP on defense, he said, adding that Latvia expects to spend 2.4% of GDP on defense next year and 3% in 2027. Europe鈥檚 defense industrial production needs to be increased, he added.
Many experts and officials have said Russian President Vladimir Putin鈥檚 hope is to outlast Western support for Ukraine in a long war.
鈥淚 think this is very important that he fails,鈥 Rink膿vi膷s said.
If the world sees that Europe and the United State are failing to provide support to Ukraine, he said, 鈥渢hen I think that is going to be increasing pressure on Israel.鈥
鈥淎lso, I think that Iran is going to be more assertive,鈥 he said. 鈥淟et鈥檚 also not forget about the whole Asia region, and let鈥檚 not forget about Taiwan.鈥
The Latvian leader said Russia is turning from an autocracy to a totalitarian regime and resorting to propaganda worse than the Cold War.
They are showing 鈥渂rutal pictures or video or animation videos about destroying cities in Europe, or the United States, using nuclear weapons, saying that the use of nuclear weapons is actually just a piece of cake,鈥 he said.
They are calling Ukrainians 鈥渒ind of a lower human race 鈥 it鈥檚 very much resembling what Nazi Germany was saying about the Jews,鈥 he added.
Rink膿vi膷s, who is in New York to launch Latvia鈥檚 bid for a U.N. Security Council seat in 2026-2027, announced in 2014 that he is gay and is one of Europe鈥檚 few LGBTQ+ heads of state.
If people can accept a gay head of state, Rink膿vi膷s said, 鈥渢hen I believe that very quickly also they are going to be more inclusive, more open to the whole community. That鈥檚 the message also I hope will be received everywhere else.鈥
