Latvia Is Prepared To Host Nuclear Weapons If NATO So Decides

• 1.10.2026, 8:52

The country has a legal basis for this.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs stated that the country might agree to the deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory if such a decision were made collectively by NATO and if the need arose.

This was reported by Delfi.

The Latvian president commented on reports of a British proposal to strengthen nuclear deterrence for countries participating in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), which includes the Baltic states, Northern European countries, and the Netherlands.

According to Rinkēvičs, there is no legal prohibition on the deployment of nuclear weapons on Latvian territory. He also noted that during Latvia’s preparations for NATO membership in 2003, the country did not impose any restrictions on its participation in the Alliance’s collective security mechanisms, particularly the nuclear deterrence system.

“If the need arises and NATO makes such a collective decision, nuclear weapons will be deployed in Latvia,” Rinkēvičs stated.

He also said that if nuclear weapons did not exist, there might be more conventional wars in Europe.

There are currently no negotiations regarding the deployment of weapons

At the same time, the Latvian president emphasized that no specific negotiations are currently underway regarding the deployment of nuclear weapons on the country’s territory. The discussion is limited to the possibility of such a step in the event of a corresponding collective decision by NATO.
Rinkēvičs’ statement came amid discussions about strengthening the defense of the Nordic and Baltic countries. Latvia is also participating in the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).