About: Edgars Rink?vi?s

French MPs provoke anger across Europe with visit to Crimea

A group of pro-Russian French MPs has provoked outcry across Europe on a visit to Crimea. EURACTIV France reports. 

Latvia: EU, US ‘likely’ to miss year-end target for free trade deal

The EU and United States will likely miss a year-end target to seal the world's biggest-ever free trade deal, current European president Latvia said Wednesday (25 March).

Polish Deputy PM fears influx of ‘hundreds of thousands’ of Ukrainians

Ukraine's economy is starting to disintegrate, creating a risk of hundreds of thousands of immigrants flowing into Poland, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Janusz Piechoci?ski said. Ukraine expects the EU to lift the visa requirement at the Minsk Eastern Partnership summit on 21-22 May.

Riga to host ‘Eastern Partnership survival summit’

Edgars Rink?vi?s, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, didn’t mince his words Thursday (26 February) when he called the summit of the Eastern Partnership his country is hosting next May, in its capacity as holder of the rotating EU presidency, “a survival summit”.

EU no longer sees Lukashenko as ‘last dictator’

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's hosting of Ukraine peace talks may have a side effect at home - helping thaw relations between the European Union and a man the West calls "Europe's last dictator".

Russia and Poland trade accusations over WWII anniversary

Russia and Poland traded diplomatic barbs on Tuesday (3 February) over the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War Two, in a sign of Moscow's worsening ties with Warsaw, the European Union's leading critic of its role in Ukraine.

Latvia tempts Russia with lifting of sanctions

The European Union will consider lifting sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis only if there is "real progress" in implementing a four-month-old ceasefire deal, Latvia's foreign minister said yesterday (12 January).

Officials adjust terrorism challenge to European Year for Development

The emotions following the Paris terrorist attacks left a mark on the messages of EU officials during the launch on Friday (9 January) in Riga of the “European Year for Development 2015”.

Latvia claims its presidency won’t be ‘anti-Russian’

Latvia, which took over the rotating EU Presidency on 1 January, will try to overcome stereotypes and convince Moscow that its intentions are in no way anti-Russian, the country’s foreign minister Edgars Rink?vi?s told journalists in Riga yesterday (7 January).