Latvia will not be able to ensure the security of the external border of the European Union on its own, even if it directs 5% of its gross domestic product to defense. This was stated by Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs in the LETA podcast "Politicians! What was that?!". According to the Prime Minister, Latvia protects not only its own territory but also the eastern border of the entire European Union. > "Five percent is not enough," emphasized Kulbergs, noting that the country is forced to attract expensive borrowed funds to finance defense. In his opinion, this is why the countries on the eastern flank should receive special support from the EU. The Prime Minister stated that this is not only about financing the military sector but also about investments in the economy. Kulbergs believes that security cannot be ensured without sustainable economic development. In his view, alongside strengthening the armed forces, it is necessary to develop local production and the defense industry. Importantly, the Prime Minister opposed tax increases as a source of additional defense spending. Instead, he suggests first cutting ineffective government expenditures, eliminating "gaps" in the budget, and seeking new sources of economic growth. At the same time, Kulbergs stated that the country's budget could potentially receive an additional 100–300 million euros annually, although he did not specify concrete mechanisms to achieve this result. According to the head of government, Latvia is actively raising this issue at the level of the European Council together with other eastern flank countries, including Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Romania, Finland, and Sweden. Kulbergs believes that European funds for defense should be distributed based on the level of threat, rather than equally among all EU countries.
