In a recent press conference held on Monday, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs expressed his belief that the statements made by>";
U.S. President Donald Trump concerning the annexation of Canada and the takeover of Greenland were likely mere rhetoric, and not reflective of any real action. Rinkēvičs made these remarks while meeting with Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš.
Trump had previously stated that he could use military force to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, and economic power to annex Canada, according to NBC News.
Rinkēvičs emphasized Latvia’s commitment to territorial integrity of all allies, and stressed the importance of resolving such issues through international law and accepted norms. He expressed hope that Trump’s remarks were primarily for domestic consumption and not indicative of any concrete plans.
Meanwhile, Kariņš distinguished between verbal statements and actual actions. He underscored the importance of maintaining peace, and emphasized the need to understand if Trump’s statements will translate into any concrete actions before drawing any conclusions.
With Trump’s inauguration still scheduled for January 20, Kariņš noted that the U.S. President-elect’s remarks currently remain purely rhetorical.