Latvia’s Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins has spoken out in favor of supplying fighter jets to Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. “I don’t see why the West shouldn’t supply fighter jets. If the Ukrainians need fighter jets, they should get them,” Karins said in an interview with Der Spiegel (online Saturday). “The delivery of combat aircraft is only a matter of time‘ said the Prime Minister.
In addition, according to the Latvian head of government all European countries ramp up their armaments industries, including Germany. “Most of all ammunition is in demand now. Germany’s industry has the best prerequisites to strengthen Europe’s defence,” Karins continued. “Russia produces 24 hours a day, they have switched to a war economy. We are still producing in peace mode,” he complained. “We all want peace. But the only way to peace is through Ukraine’s victory. And for that she needs our weapons.”
In the discussion about the level of defense spending by NATO member states, Karins tends to advocate a higher benchmark. “Latvia will spend more than 2.5 percent on defense this year, we are aiming for three percent,” said the head of government. As a “frontline state”, Latvia has no choice. “At NATO level, we first have to ensure that all members reach two percent. And yes, we should already be talking about a new target, 2.5 percent, for example‘ says Karins.
The two percent target currently applies in the NATO alliance. It envisages that by 2024 all NATO countries should approach the benchmark of spending at least two percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense. According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, however, some of the Allies want to tighten the current target significantly.
The Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania had already announced in December that they wanted to further increase their defense spending in response to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.