Ukraine should help shape NATO’s defenses, not remain outside them, Latvia’s prime minister argued, saying Europe must turn Kyiv’s battlefield experience into shared capabilities along the alliance’s eastern flank. Andris Kulbergs, Latvia’s prime minister, told TVP World’s World Talks program at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in the Baltic port city of Gdańsk that NATO should integrate Ukraine’s counter‑drone expertise into its systems. Latvia, he said, has already begun working with Kyiv on anti‑drone defenses but needs an approach that can be “plug and play” with the alliance’s wider command and security architecture. Security lessons from Ukraine “They should be part of NATO,” Kulbergs said, describing Ukraine’s military as one of the world’s strongest and most tested in modern warfare. He said NATO must adapt more quickly to lessons from the war, particularly the use of drones, electronic warfare and layered air‑defense systems, and that Ukraine’s operational know‑how should be embedded directly into allied planning. Kulbergs warned that Russian pressure is also weighing on the economies of frontline states, discouraging investment and tourism. He said eastern‑flank countries need special European support because their high levels of security and defense spending help protect the entire continent, echoing calls in Brussels for more burden‑sharing and targeted assistance to states bordering Russia. Ukraine’s European path Latvia’s prime minister also backed Ukraine’s push toward EU membership. While acknowledging that Ukraine’s entry would create economic competition, he said it should be treated as a partner with resources, industrial potential and a demonstrated commitment to European values. He said that political disputes between partners must not distract from the larger threat posed by Moscow. “Peace through strength. That's the only way Russia understands,” Kulbergs said.
