In Reykjavík, the capital city of Iceland, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, participated in the official handover ceremony for the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Over the next six months, Latvia will assume the leadership role in the Committee’s work.
Minister Rinkēvičs highlighted that this is Latvia’s second time chairing the organization since becoming a member of the Council of Europe in 1995. He emphasized that the Council of Europe was established to safeguard democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, which have greatly contributed to the rules-based order in Europe for nearly 75 years. However, the Minister pointed out that the international rules-based order has been significantly challenged by the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. He stressed that democracy and human rights are the foundation of freedom and peace in Europe and should never be taken for granted. The Minister commended the strong commitment of member states to protect the standards and values of the Council of Europe.
Edgars Rinkēvičs affirmed that Latvia’s Presidency will be guided by the decisions made at the Fourth Summit of the Council of Europe and will work closely with other member states to strengthen the organization. The Minister reiterated Latvia’s unwavering support for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine, emphasizing that the Council of Europe must continue to support Ukraine and its people for as long as necessary. He condemned Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest terms, stressing that such behavior should never be normalized. The Minister called on Russia to fulfill its international obligations by withdrawing its forces from Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova. He emphasized the importance of comprehensive accountability, holding Russia responsible as a state for violations of international law and ensuring individual accountability for the most serious crimes of international concern. As the Presidency, Latvia intends to keep these issues high on the agenda and advocate for Russia to compensate for the damages caused by the war against Ukraine. The Minister welcomed the establishment of the Register of Damage as the first practical step towards a future international compensation mechanism and highlighted that Latvia is among its founding members. The Presidency will work towards advancing its operational launch.
Latvia’s assumption of the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe marks a crucial period where the country will strive to protect the values and standards of the organization while addressing the challenges posed by Russia’s aggression and promoting peace, democracy, and human rights throughout Europe.
