German Defence Minister, Ursula von der Leyen paid a working visit to Latvia on 14th April. During the visit, the Minister met with the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Latvia, Raimonds Vējonis, and representatives of NATO StratCom COE.
The German Defence Minister expressed her satisfaction with her visit to Latvia, and noted that she was interested in meeting the representatives of NATO StratCom COE during the visit by emphasising that “Formation of the Centre is performed on profound professional grounds. We are interested in hearing about the deep analysis the Centre is performing in researching the propaganda of both Russia and the Islamic State. Both of these parties are using a wide range of influence and strong propaganda elements. It is the task of NATO to strengthen the Centre of Excellence.”
The Minister also emphasised that the counter-propaganda is frequently not effective. The NATO response should be based on its values – freedom of expression and pluralism of opinions. Citizens should have the opportunity to evaluate facts and form their own opinions.
The German Defence Minister visited Latvia to discuss bilateral cooperation and new regional challenges, as well as the implementation of resolutions of the Wales summit and NATO involvement in the region.