WEBVTT - Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics Talks  Russian Aggression 

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<v Speaker 1>Bloomberg Audio Studios.

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<v Speaker 2>Pok it's a great pleasure to be joined by the

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<v Speaker 2>President of Latvia. President Edgars Rinkovich is with us live

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<v Speaker 2>from the United Nations in New York on this important day,

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<v Speaker 2>and mister President, we welcome you to Bloomberg TV and Radio.

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<v Speaker 2>The President, in a news conference just a moment ago,

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<v Speaker 2>as you were sitting down to talk with us on Bloomberg,

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<v Speaker 2>said that NATO countries should shoot down aircraft entering their airspace,

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<v Speaker 2>of course, referring to the Russian incursions on Polish airspace

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<v Speaker 2>as well as Estonian airspace.

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<v Speaker 1>Is your country prepared if that happens.

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<v Speaker 3>Well. Actually, Latria as well as other Baltic states are

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<v Speaker 3>under the NATO Air Patrolling mission, so that kind of

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<v Speaker 3>decision should be taken by NATO command. But I think

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<v Speaker 3>that President Trump and other leaders who have expressed their

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<v Speaker 3>views on this issue, all right, if Russian aircraft keep flying,

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<v Speaker 3>keep violating purer air space, NATO's airspace, then the only

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<v Speaker 3>way how to stop them is to show force. And

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<v Speaker 3>from that perspective, I would say that we are going

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<v Speaker 3>to push for most regent NATO policy in this regard.

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<v Speaker 2>Interesting, I'd love if you have more details on those

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<v Speaker 2>changes and the potential for increasing air defenses along the

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<v Speaker 2>Russian border. Is there a way to deter Russia from

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<v Speaker 2>flying these missions?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, yes there is. Actually we have two issues here.

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<v Speaker 3>Number one, it's drones that have been flying into the Polish,

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<v Speaker 3>Romanian also Latvian territory. Mostly we have seen those kinds

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<v Speaker 3>of incursions as tests, and here more anti drone defense

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<v Speaker 3>is needed. Actually that's a bit also the kind of

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<v Speaker 3>race when it comes to technologies. Number two, it's what

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<v Speaker 3>happened with Estonia megs flying into the Estonian territory. And here,

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<v Speaker 3>as I said, to some extent, the Baltic States are

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<v Speaker 3>in a very peculiar position because we do not have

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<v Speaker 3>our fighters. Since we joined NATO back in two thousand

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<v Speaker 3>and four, there is so called Baltic a policing mission.

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<v Speaker 3>What has been decided that that policing mission will become

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<v Speaker 3>a full fledged a defense mission. And then I think

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<v Speaker 3>that rules of engagement need also to be upgraded in

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<v Speaker 3>a way that if Russians continue, then yes, indeed the

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<v Speaker 3>opening of fire would be an alternative. Can we stop Russians? Yes,

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<v Speaker 3>we have seen what happened with the Baltic see a

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<v Speaker 3>couple of months ago, we had many incidents with underwater infrastructure.

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<v Speaker 3>When so called Botics entry mission started, more ships, NATO

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<v Speaker 3>ships patrolling the Baltic Sea. All of suddenly the pattern changed.

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<v Speaker 3>The problem with Russians is that they're going to stop

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<v Speaker 3>incursions in the balticre in the NATO airspace if they

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<v Speaker 3>see show, of course, But at the same time they

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<v Speaker 3>are going to find other ways how actually to test

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<v Speaker 3>time to challenge the Alliance.

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<v Speaker 2>So were you, essentially President Rinkovic describing a no fly

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<v Speaker 2>zone for Eastern Europe, for border nations that NATO would

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<v Speaker 2>work together on.

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<v Speaker 1>Is that how you defend the skies?

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<v Speaker 3>Not exactly no fly zone. No fly zone would mean

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<v Speaker 3>that actually we stopped flying all aircraft civilian friendly NATO aircraft. Understand,

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<v Speaker 3>I'm advocating for much stringent defense policy of the Alliance,

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<v Speaker 3>as we just discussed.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to ask you about the idea of a

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<v Speaker 2>drone wall. Baltic countries are apparently having this conversation, a

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<v Speaker 2>system that would take down any drones that cross the border.

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<v Speaker 2>Are you involved in those discussions? Could that be made reality?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, indeed we are talking about that. Indeed, we are

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<v Speaker 3>learning a lot from Ukrainian experience. But of course we

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<v Speaker 3>also said that development of technology at this time is

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<v Speaker 3>so quick that actually it's quite challenging to find the

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<v Speaker 3>right approach. But indeed, the Baltic nations or Eastern Flank

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<v Speaker 3>nations are discussing also the drone wall, as well as

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<v Speaker 3>actually counter mobility measures against any possible Russian incursion if

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<v Speaker 3>that may happen.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm sure you heard the President's speech earlier, President Trump's

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<v Speaker 2>speech before the United Nations. Mister President, he spoke about

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<v Speaker 2>the potential for secondary sanctions against Russia, but said he

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<v Speaker 2>would only put them in place if European nations stopped

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<v Speaker 2>buying Russian oil.

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<v Speaker 1>Your reaction to that.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm absolutely supporting that proposal by President Trump. Actually, latterly,

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<v Speaker 3>along other countries that are bordering Russia, have been advocating

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<v Speaker 3>for stopping buying Russian oil and gas since twenty twenty two.

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<v Speaker 3>We actually made that decision when Russians started their full

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<v Speaker 3>scale aggression back in February twenty twenty two. So from

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<v Speaker 3>that point of view, I do believe that President Trump

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<v Speaker 3>is right. I do believe that all European nations must

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<v Speaker 3>stop buying Russian oil and gas. And they must stop

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<v Speaker 3>financing Russian war machines. So from that point of view,

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<v Speaker 3>there is a point in what President Trump said in

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<v Speaker 3>his address to the United Nations General Assembly.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, what are you hearing, President, from your NATO allies

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<v Speaker 2>who are in fact purchasing Russian oil?

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<v Speaker 1>Will they make that commitment?

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<v Speaker 3>I think that if there is a clear position from

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<v Speaker 3>the United States, if other EU nations or NATO European

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<v Speaker 3>allies do stop buying Russian oil and gas, and there

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<v Speaker 3>is now alternative it's U SL and G. By the way,

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<v Speaker 3>Latvia is buying currently around seventy five percent of the

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<v Speaker 3>United States liquefied natural gas, then I think that those

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<v Speaker 3>countries may change their mind. And I think that the

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<v Speaker 3>position of the United States in this matter is very relevant.

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<v Speaker 3>So I do hope that all capitals in Europe are

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<v Speaker 3>hearing the statement from the United States at this point.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, there's.

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<v Speaker 2>A story coming out of the Pentagon here in Washington,

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<v Speaker 2>the Department of Defense pulling back on funding for programs

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<v Speaker 2>on NATO's Eastern flank, including the Baltic Security Initiative, which

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<v Speaker 2>would impact your country. Are you hearing directly from the

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<v Speaker 2>Pentagon on this and can countries like yours make up

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<v Speaker 2>the difference.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, we are in discussions with our colleagues in the

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<v Speaker 3>United States Department of War, and at this point I

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<v Speaker 3>would say that we are very grateful to the United

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<v Speaker 3>States for all the assistants the country has provided to

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<v Speaker 3>Latvia since establishment of our independence. But we are also

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<v Speaker 3>working with the Congress, and I do hope that we

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<v Speaker 3>are going to find the solution where we are going

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<v Speaker 3>to continue this cooperation. Let me say that actually when

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<v Speaker 3>it comes to the US aid in this regard, then

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<v Speaker 3>we are mostly buying the US equipment and also we

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<v Speaker 3>are then financing that purchase also not only from US funds,

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<v Speaker 3>but also Latin or the Maltic funds. So this is

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<v Speaker 3>where we are in the process. So I can't confirm

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<v Speaker 3>that the kind of final decision has been made, and

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<v Speaker 3>I do understand the push from the United States when

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<v Speaker 3>it comes to more financing. But let me remind the

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<v Speaker 3>viewers of Bloomberg also that countries like Latvia currently spent

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<v Speaker 3>almost five percent on defense of GDP because we understand

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<v Speaker 3>what capabilities we need. And I do hope that also

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<v Speaker 3>this message is going to be heard in US government as.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, spoken like the president of a frontline nation sharing

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<v Speaker 2>a border with Russia. Certainly, I'm curious, mister President, what

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<v Speaker 2>your thought was on the message today from President Trump.

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<v Speaker 2>He spoke to the room, he said your countries are

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<v Speaker 2>going to hell? Was that the message that you needed

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<v Speaker 2>to hear today?

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<v Speaker 3>I think that the United Nations is a great place

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<v Speaker 3>where different opinions, different views are being expressed. And I

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<v Speaker 3>think that sometimes, frankly, I'm attending those UNGA meetings in

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<v Speaker 3>different capacity it is as the foreign minister before I

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<v Speaker 3>became president since two thousand and nine, and sometimes you

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<v Speaker 3>will probably need to get kind of very strong language

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<v Speaker 3>to wake up. But definitely I hope that we are

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<v Speaker 3>going to find a common language with everyone in the

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<v Speaker 3>room when it comes to the critical issues of the

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<v Speaker 3>global development, be it climate change or beat other issues. However,

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<v Speaker 3>I think also that one thing that is currently an

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<v Speaker 3>issue here with the United States is that this organization

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<v Speaker 3>needs reform. Beat You and Security Council. We see that

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<v Speaker 3>when it comes to the war in Ukraine or it

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<v Speaker 3>used to be Syria a couple of years ago, this

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<v Speaker 3>organization was not capable to deal with challenges that actually

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<v Speaker 3>it was created for.

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<v Speaker 2>That's a very diplomatic answer, mister President. President Trump referred

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<v Speaker 2>to many countries of banfor instruction. Well true, true, due

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<v Speaker 2>to their use of green energy. Does he have the

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<v Speaker 2>wrong or the right idea there?

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<v Speaker 3>I think that this discussion about climate change and what

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<v Speaker 3>should we do is now developing, and you know, from

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<v Speaker 3>time to time we get into extremes. Sometimes we get

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<v Speaker 3>into extreme that we are all going to die immediately,

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<v Speaker 3>and then we do some policies that handsight seem to

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<v Speaker 3>be not so clever, and then we probably change the tone.

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<v Speaker 3>In my own country, we have now that debate as well,

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<v Speaker 3>what should we do and are we exaggerating? So from

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<v Speaker 3>that point of view, I think that the climate change

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<v Speaker 3>is real. The issue is how you deal with that,

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<v Speaker 3>whether those policies we are agreeing are the right ones,

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<v Speaker 3>whether windmills are the right answer. Back home, we have

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<v Speaker 3>the same debate. I would actually be happy to continue

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<v Speaker 3>that discussion, and probably in this kind of clash of

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<v Speaker 3>opinions we can probably find the right policy as well.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>Interesting, Before you leave us, mister president and get back

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<v Speaker 2>to your meetings at the UN, I want to get

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<v Speaker 2>back to where we started, and that is the looming

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<v Speaker 2>threat from Russia. And specifically from Vladimir Putin. What is

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<v Speaker 2>the message from your country, from you to Vladimir Putin

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<v Speaker 2>as he considers pushing the line, as we've been referring

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<v Speaker 2>to it in countries like Latvia, if he decides to

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<v Speaker 2>fly into your airspace, if he sends drones or aircraft,

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<v Speaker 2>what would be your warning ahead of that decision?

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<v Speaker 3>My morning, would we learned from history because pushing the envelope,

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<v Speaker 3>crossing the line at one point means that you are

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<v Speaker 3>losing everything. And I think that the message that we

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<v Speaker 3>are hearing from NATO allies, from President Trump, from President Dagan,

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<v Speaker 3>from other leaders of the alliance are very very clear messages.

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<v Speaker 3>So don't even try.

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<v Speaker 2>President Edgars Rinkovic, the President of Latvia, with us live

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<v Speaker 2>from the United Nations the General Assembled underway now in

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<v Speaker 2>New York.

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<v Speaker 1>Mister President, thank

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<v Speaker 2>You for the insights and for spending time with us

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<v Speaker 2>today on Bloomberg