NATO has never been as strong as it is today - Polish defense minister in Adazi

RIGA - NATO has never been as strong as it is today, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said during a visit to Adazi military base on Thursday.

The Baltic countries and Poland will soon withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which will boost the region's defense capabilities, said the Polish minister. The presence of Polish troops in Latvia demonstrates Poland's solidarity with the Baltic countries and its responsibility toward NATO allies, he added.

The Polish contingent will remain in Latvia in the future as well, and NATO has undergone significant changes in recent years which have made the organization stronger, Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized. "NATO has never been stronger. We will defend NATO's borders and continue to improve our defense capabilities," he said.

According to Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds (Progressives), these are challenging times when we have to fight every day to defend democracy.

Ukraine is also fighting for its existence and the West must continue to support it, Spruds added.

He also said that Latvia would continue to invest in defense and cooperation between NATO allies. The presence of NATO troops in Latvia means that people's lives are safer and more peaceful.