Latest news with #BaibaBraže
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump should impose more Russia sanctions now, Latvian foreign minister urges
ASPEN, Colorado — President Donald Trump should not wait 50 days to impose secondary sanctions on Russia, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže argued Wednesday. 'It should be earlier,' Braže said in an interview on the sidelines of the Aspen Security Forum. She argued there is no sense in giving Russian President Vladimir Putin more time when Russia forces are continuing to launch attacks. Latvia, a NATO member and staunch Ukraine ally, also directly borders Russia and Belarus — putting it in a neighborhood where it faces considerable risk if the war with Ukraine spills beyond its borders. It contributes 3.15 percent of its GDP to NATO and has contributed 2 percent of its pre-war GDP to Ukraine assistance. Braže welcomed Trump's Monday announcement that the U.S. would send weapons to Ukraine and that he would impose secondary tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries that still trade with Russia if Moscow does not agree to a peace deal in 50 days. But Russia still preserves its ability to keep fighting 'for a while,' she warned, saying the West must immediately ramp up pressure on Moscow to try to force it to the negotiating table. Imposing sanctions without delay would be a way to do that. The U.S. and its allies must make sure 'Russia understands that it's not going to do better, but worse with every day,' she said. 'We're seeing that already, the Russian economy is not doing well.' Asked Tuesday why he would give Putin two months to accede to his demands, Trump said he could move more quickly. 'I don't think 50 days is very long. It could be sooner than that,' Trump said. Braže said sanctions could have a real impact on the battlefield. 'What we are looking for is pressure on Russia and weakening Russia's ability to conduct warfare. It's not about the Russian people,' she said. 'It's about the Russian war fighting capacity and what they are doing on the battlefield, that all needs to be weakened.' Intelligence assessments broadly conclude that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not interested in ending the war, she added. U.S. intelligence reached that conclusion earlier this year as negotiations have dragged on. 'The intel and overall assessment has been aligned among the allies, including the Americans, that there is no indication that Putin wants peace,' she said. Trump has come to the same conclusion after trying to keep the door open for Russia, she argued. 'It was a question of time when it was clear that Putin is just fooling everyone and delaying, delaying tactics,' she said. The EU will soon pass an additional sanctions package that will lower the oil price cap and target Russia's financial sector. Slovakia is the lone hold out, two European officials said. Braže declined to name the country holding back the package, but she said it is 'ready to go' once one final country agrees. Other Western officials at the conference were cautiously optimistic about Trump's tone shift earlier this week. 'We hope it's finally true,' said Halyna Yanchenko, a Ukrainian member of parliament in the Servant of the People party. 'With Trump you always never know what the final policy is,' a European official said, granted anonymity to speak candidly about an ally. 'The shift is very welcome if the shift is real.' Solve the daily Crossword
Civil.ge
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Civil.ge
Latvia Sanctions Another 55 Georgian Citizens
Latvia has imposed entry bans on 55 additional Georgian citizens, Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said on July 14. 'I have included 55 Georgian citizens on Latvia's persona non grata list, imposing a ban on their entry into Latvia. This decision was made in accordance with Section 61(2) of the Immigration Law,' Braže said on social media. The individuals' identities have not been disclosed. Latvia joins Lithuania and Estonia in sanctioning an extensive group of Georgian officials and other individuals amid the EU's ongoing struggle to adopt broader measures, which require the unanimous support of all member states. On April 15, Lithuania disclosed a list of 102 sanctioned individuals, which included senior members of the Georgian Dream government, GD MPs, Interior Ministry officials, and judges. Also Read: This post is also available in: ქართული
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's ‘peace through strength' message resonates with Russian neighbor
UNITED NATIONS - Latvia is ready to move quickly once it starts its first-ever United Nations Security Council term in January 2026. Of the 188 countries taking part in the vote, 178 cast their ballots in favor of the Eastern European nation. Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister Baiba Braže, who attended the vote at the U.N.'s New York City headquarters, told Fox News Digital that her country is ready to address the ongoing Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas wars. Ahead of its term on the council, Riga has its eyes set on peace for all parties involved in both conflicts. "We shall work on the U.N. Security Council to help achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, the Middle East and other conflict regions, to strengthen global security, safeguard the international rules-based order in line with the U.N. Charter and make the work of the U.N. Security Council more effective," Braže said in her address to the U.N. last week. Russia Launches Biggest Drone Barrage Of The Ukraine War, Kyiv Says When it comes to Israel and Hamas, Braže emphasized the need to get aid to the people of Gaza but said that Latvia did not have a position on how it should be done, despite international criticism of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Braže expressed the need for the best solution to the aid issue in Gaza would be "whatever is more efficient" and that she believes both sides will be able to work on that. Overall, Braže was focused on one key point: getting aid to vulnerable people in Gaza. Read On The Fox News App The war in Ukraine hits closer to home for Braže. Latvia, like Ukraine, was part of the Soviet Union and gained its independence in 1991 after the USSR dissolved. She told Fox News Digital that Russian President Vladimir Putin is using "traditional Russian-Soviet tactics," such as delays in negotiations, but she believes there are ways to pressure the Kremlin into peace. Braže also said that Latvia "fully supports" President Donald Trump's vision of peace through strength to quash the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Zelenskyy Dismisses Trump's Claim That Russia Wants Peace, Says He Knows Putin 'Much Better' "Currently we don't see a single indication that Russia wants peace. It's bluffing, it's asking impossible demands from the U.S., from Ukraine and others, and then blaming Ukraine for not accepting those impossible demands," she said. Braže told Fox News Digital that limiting Russia's income and its access to technology will be crucial to securing a stable and lasting peace. This would also mean intervening in potentially threatening partnerships, such as the one between China and Russia. "Making sure that the oil price stays low and that its oil and gas exports are affected and limited is very important," she said. The foreign minister accused China of being the "main enabler" of Russia through its exports to the country. She said that Russia is able to "cannibalize" parts of the exports it gets from China and put them toward its missile program. Nato To Consider Higher Defense Spending Target For Member Countries Beyond how the world handles Russia, Braže sees strengthening Ukraine's ability to defend itself as a crucial part of ending the war. She noted that Ukraine is acting in accordance with Article 51 of the U.N. Charter. Braže also called Ukraine the "strongest deterrent of Russia's aggression." "So, military aid, humanitarian aid, political support, moral support, everything is needed. So that is the strength, and that will lead to peace," she told Fox News Digital. When asked about what a victory for Ukraine, as well as long-lasting security, would look like, Braže left it up to Kyiv. "Ukraine will define what it sees both as peace and victory. We believe that Ukraine's sovereignty, Ukraine's ability to control its territory, Ukraine not accepting the occupied territories as Russian—because that's against international law—that all are elements that will be required for both peace but also for Ukraine, considering that it has not lost the war."Original article source: Trump's 'peace through strength' message resonates with Russian neighbor
Fox News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump's ‘peace through strength' message resonates with Russian neighbor
UNITED NATIONS - Latvia is ready to move quickly once it starts its first-ever United Nations Security Council term in January 2026. Of the 188 countries taking part in the vote, 178 cast their ballots in favor of the Eastern European nation. Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister Baiba Braže, who attended the vote at the U.N.'s New York City headquarters, told Fox News Digital that her country is ready to address the ongoing Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas wars. Ahead of its term on the council, Riga has its eyes set on peace for all parties involved in both conflicts. "We shall work on the U.N. Security Council to help achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, the Middle East and other conflict regions, to strengthen global security, safeguard the international rules-based order in line with the U.N. Charter and make the work of the U.N. Security Council more effective," Braže said in her address to the U.N. last week. When it comes to Israel and Hamas, Braže emphasized the need to get aid to the people of Gaza but said that Latvia did not have a position on how it should be done, despite international criticism of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Braže expressed the need for the best solution to the aid issue in Gaza would be "whatever is more efficient" and that she believes both sides will be able to work on that. Overall, Braže was focused on one key point: getting aid to vulnerable people in Gaza. The war in Ukraine hits closer to home for Braže. Latvia, like Ukraine, was part of the Soviet Union and gained its independence in 1991 after the USSR dissolved. She told Fox News Digital that Russian President Vladimir Putin is using "traditional Russian-Soviet tactics," such as delays in negotiations, but she believes there are ways to pressure the Kremlin into peace. Braže also said that Latvia "fully supports" President Donald Trump's vision of peace through strength to quash the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. "Currently we don't see a single indication that Russia wants peace. It's bluffing, it's asking impossible demands from the U.S., from Ukraine and others, and then blaming Ukraine for not accepting those impossible demands," she said. Braže told Fox News Digital that limiting Russia's income and its access to technology will be crucial to securing a stable and lasting peace. This would also mean intervening in potentially threatening partnerships, such as the one between China and Russia. "Making sure that the oil price stays low and that its oil and gas exports are affected and limited is very important," she said. The foreign minister accused China of being the "main enabler" of Russia through its exports to the country. She said that Russia is able to "cannibalize" parts of the exports it gets from China and put them toward its missile program. Beyond how the world handles Russia, Braže sees strengthening Ukraine's ability to defend itself as a crucial part of ending the war. She noted that Ukraine is acting in accordance with Article 51 of the U.N. Charter. Braže also called Ukraine the "strongest deterrent of Russia's aggression." "So, military aid, humanitarian aid, political support, moral support, everything is needed. So that is the strength, and that will lead to peace," she told Fox News Digital. When asked about what a victory for Ukraine, as well as long-lasting security, would look like, Braže left it up to Kyiv. "Ukraine will define what it sees both as peace and victory. We believe that Ukraine's sovereignty, Ukraine's ability to control its territory, Ukraine not accepting the occupied territories as Russian—because that's against international law—that all are elements that will be required for both peace but also for Ukraine, considering that it has not lost the war."
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Latvian foreign minister reacts to recent Russian bombardments of Ukrainian cities
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže has condemned Russia's ongoing attacks on Ukraine, emphasising Ukraine's right to self-defence in response to the latest strikes. Source: Baiba Braže on Twitter (X), as reported by European Pravda She noted that Russia bombs civilians in Ukraine every night. Quote: "Night by night Russia continues bombing civilians in Ukraine. Kyiv, Kharkiv, cities and villages. Emergency workers, women, children, hospitals, shopping malls. Ukraine has all the rights for self-defence and taking out military targets and objects, and enabling infrastructure." Background: On the night of 6-7 June 2025, Russian forces launched a large-scale attack on Kharkiv using kamikaze drones, guided bombs and missiles, killing three people and injuring 22, including a one-and-a-half-month-old baby. US President Donald Trump claimed that the special operation Spider's Web, conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine to destroy Russian strategic aircraft, prompted Moscow's latest attacks. US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg suggested that Ukraine's special operation could serve as an impetus for peace negotiations. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
