Historical Context for Latvia's Political Attitude

 

Latvia declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990 and soon after the Soviet Union fell[1]. Latvia joined NATO on March 29th, 2004[2] and the European Union (EU) on May 1st, 2004. The Latvian government’s association with both NATO and the EU gives it a distinct edge from its Soviet past. The government is largely democratic and operates as a parliamentary republic. The government of Latvia “is subdivided into 36 regional municipalities and 7 city states with their own governance.”[3] Below is a map of Latvia picturing the subdivisions of Latvia.

Pictured above is a image taken in Old Town Riga which depicts the codes of arms of the different Latvian municipalities.

Pictured below is a map of the municipalities in modern-day Latvia.

Support for Ukraine

 

Considering Latvia’s role in the EU and NATO, the state strongly opposes Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. One may see evidence of this support on just about every street in Latvia’s capital. Ukrainian flags can be seen in the Latvian Parliament (pictured below), atop buildings, and in the windows of restaurants all throughout Riga. Across from the Russian Embassy in Riga, there is a large banner of Putin depicted as a skeleton which is hung on the Riga Museum of Medical History. This skeleton image of Putin is seen to represent his role as a mass murderer of innocent Ukrainians. This image is an accurate portrayal of how many Latvians feel about Putin and his senseless war on Ukraine.

Ethnic Russian Beliefs

 

While there is generally strong support for Ukraine within Latvia, there are always groups of people who do not agree with the majority. There are a small number of Russian-Latvians who are not in support of Ukraine due to their subservience to the Russian state. Among this group are the oldest generations of ethnic Russians in Latvia who still feel a sense of obedience and belonging toward the Russian state. Although they by no means represent the majority of Russian-Latvians, their numbers are enough to be noticeable to the Latvian government. In June of 2022[4], Latvia banned the streaming of Russian-state-sponsored TV channels within its borders, yet to this day people continue to find ways to watch Russia’s propaganda through the use of tools such as VPNs.

Citations

[1] Žemaitis, Augustinas. “History.” On Latvia, www.onlatvia.com/topics/history-and-today/history-of-latvia. Accessed 02 June 2025.

[2] Nato. “NATO Member Countries.” NATO, www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_52044.htm#coldwar2. Accessed 02 June 2025.

[3] “Latvia – Eu Country Profile.” European Union, european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/eu-countries/latvia_en. Accessed 02 June 2025.

[4] Latvian Public Media. “All Russia-Based TV Channels Banned in Latvia.” LSM+, LSM, 6 June 2022, eng.lsm.lv/article/features/media-literacy/all-russia-based-tv-channels-banned-in-latvia.a460236/. Accessed 02 June 2025.