BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 20. During a working visit to Luxembourg on October 17, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Foreign Trade, Development Cooperation, and Humanitarian Affairs of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of security and economy, as well as key issues on the European Union agenda, Trend reports.
The ministers reviewed progress on several EU priorities, including preparations for the next multiannual financial framework, the EU enlargement process, and the need to accelerate the development of Europe’s defense industry.
Minister Braže expressed appreciation for Luxembourg’s contribution to enhancing Latvia’s security, including its financial support for certain military infrastructure projects and its participation in the Drone Coalition.
She noted that Luxembourg is currently Latvia’s ninth-largest investor and that the volume of investments continues to grow. Both countries, she emphasized, see opportunities to expand economic cooperation in areas such as space technologies, biomedicine, transport, and logistics.
The discussion also covered the importance of ensuring sufficient funding in the EU’s next long-term budget to meet both traditional and emerging priorities—especially those related to security, resilience, competitiveness, and Europe’s global role.
The two ministers also exchanged views on NATO cooperation, expressing support for the ongoing Baltic Sentry and Eastern Sentry missions. Additionally, they discussed recent developments in the Middle East.
During her visit, Minister Braže met with Tony Murphy, President of the European Court of Auditors (ECA), and Mihails Kozlovs, ECA Member, to discuss budgetary priorities for the next EU cycle. They addressed ways to reduce administrative burdens for businesses, boost EU competitiveness, and ensure effective implementation of EU financial policies.
Braže also held talks with representatives of SES S.A., one of the world’s leading commercial satellite operators, highlighting Latvia’s innovative companies that provide secure data transmission, satellite connectivity, and optical systems engineering.
Later, the minister met with members of the Latvian diaspora in Luxembourg, thanking them for their contribution to preserving Latvian culture and identity abroad. She also gave an interview to Luxembourg’s leading broadcaster, RTL.
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