US warns Russia after Moscow threatens Latvia: ‘Nato membership will not protect you’ – Europe live

From 1h ago'No place for threats' against UN security council member, US says in response to Russian comments

US ambassador Tammy Bruce, deputy representative of the US to the UN, is the next speaker as she strongly condemns the Russian threats against Latvia.

“There is no place for threats against a council member. The United States keeps all of its Nato commitments,” she says.

The EU’s UN representative, Stavros Lambrinidis, also offered strong backing for Ukraine as he says “Russia must take full responsibility for the full effect and the consequences of its actions.”","elementId":"5e7ac7f1-122e-4804-9f10-5b02f836a3a1"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n

“There should be no doubt in distinguishing between an aggressor and a victim.”\n","elementId":"160ebcb5-eac1-49ed-a299-67423f497c1c"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

He particularly condemns Russia’s move to “threaten a member of the Security Council and an EU member state” in Latvia (17:55), saying Moscow lost “all pretence of reason, measure, modesty and dignity.”","elementId":"d38eb19b-904f-4a3b-b334-98388214e61e"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

He adds:","elementId":"3ed76b57-e12e-4108-b083-bf8ca798abbb"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n

“Accusations, which we often hear in this chamber from the aggressor, that the European Union is prolonging the conflict are a head spinning distortion of the reality on the ground.”\n","elementId":"177b5afd-fb55-467c-bb9d-b8532e3de821"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779207669000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"18.21 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779207850000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"18.24 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779207850000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"18.24 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"18.24","title":"Russia's engages in 'head-spinning distortion of reality,' EU's UN ambassador says","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Tue 19 May 2026 18.37 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Tue 19 May 2026 09.44 CEST"},{"id":"6a0c88788f08f027d3172694","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

US ambassador Tammy Bruce, deputy representative of the US to the UN, is the next speaker as she strongly condemns the Russian threats against Latvia.","elementId":"90e6fb51-32fd-4ded-b3c6-13d87ed6925e"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

“There is no place for threats against a council member. The United States keeps all of its Nato commitments,” she says.","elementId":"b3bd5878-926e-435a-89ec-134a049cd27f"}],"attributes":{"pinned":true,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779206264000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"17.57 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779206338000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"17.58 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779206338000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"17.58 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"17.58","title":"'No place for threats' against UN security council member, US says in response to Russian comments","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Tue 19 May 2026 18.37 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Tue 19 May 2026 09.44 CEST"},{"id":"6a0c87fe8f08f027d3172685","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Latvia’s UN representative Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes says she has little time for Russia’s “pure fiction and pure lies.”","elementId":"18d4fe77-af6a-4c43-b274-c603dbd5f1e7"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n

“I will just repeat that lies and aggressive disinformation and threats are a sign of despair and weakness, and we have seen similar lies addressed against other members of this council in the previous meetings, so I’m very honoured to have the attention drawn to my country today.”\n","elementId":"44f24970-5610-41f5-a4fd-b0f5860203a3"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779206142000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"17.55 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779206241000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"17.57 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779206241000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"17.57 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"17.57","title":"Latvia rejects Russian 'lies and aggressive disinformation' after threats over drones","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Tue 19 May 2026 18.37 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Tue 19 May 2026 09.44 CEST"},{"id":"6a0c85d38f08f52e78e109e8","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

The latest air alert over Latvia comes just as the UN security council meets to discuss the latest on Ukraine, with countries expressing their concerns about the state of the conflict.","elementId":"975cb97a-e6f2-45b0-861c-9bf85e84d4d1"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

But Russian permanent representative Vasily Nebenzya is having none of it though as he blames absolutely everyone but Russia for what’s going on in Ukraine.","elementId":"60db9d97-84c3-476e-a183-85c486fe799a"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

He says the negotiation process to reach a peace settlement is “at a dead end,” and blames Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy for not ordering his troops to cease fire and withdraw from the regions Russia wants to control.","elementId":"429e0db3-c7d5-45ff-bb6a-95c1d20c42ce"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

He says “until [Zelenskyy] realises this, achieving the goals of the special military operation will be done by the armed forces of the Russian Federation.”","elementId":"48aac7e8-0769-4391-9b58-365101ec4814"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

He says Zelenskyy’s “stubborness” is “actively supported by European countries,” with honorary mentions to London and Brussels, alleging Europe wants to “drag it out for as long as possible to infict as much damage as possible on Russia.”","elementId":"87509ed9-41af-4840-a9a2-ee55eff4f587"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

He then launches into an extended ridicule of the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, saying suggestions she could be the EU’s negotiator with Russia “can only be called a mockery,” as she has “no understanding whatsoever of what diplomacy is.”","elementId":"cf6e44b7-b0dc-4164-83a4-89c8c750bb94"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Nebenzya then seeks to advance the same (completely false) theories that Ukraine and Latvia pushed against earlier (12:38) as he alleges that Kyiv will “be launching [drones] from the territory” of the Baltic countries, and particularly from Latvia.","elementId":"da6c7643-943b-4501-a293-d6f6f92aa82a"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

He specifically threatens Latvia by saying “the membership of Nato will not protect your from retaliation.”","elementId":"b70a7064-57d1-4323-af43-5659cd8b8138"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Obivously, expect Latvia to strongly deny and protest against all of that.","elementId":"6a7de817-3b9d-45c3-9b69-793642727488"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779205587000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"17.46 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779207861000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"18.24 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779206100000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"17.55 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"17.55","title":"Peace talks with Ukraine 'at dead end,' Russian UN diplomat says as he brushes off responsibility for war in Ukraine and threatens Latvia","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Tue 19 May 2026 18.37 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Tue 19 May 2026 09.44 CEST"},{"id":"6a0c82e98f0862687c4045ab","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Back to Latvia, the country has once again reported possible air threat to Latvian airspace in two counties bordering Russia.","elementId":"831eebb8-9ea5-410f-94c4-2b46a750603f"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

“Seek shelter indoors, close windows and doors,” the authorities said in an alert.","elementId":"70b34804-ba62-4640-9aaf-ab86da81b92f"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

However, no drones have been detected in Latvian airspace so far, the army’s spokesperson Māris Tūtins told Latvija Televīzija. ","elementId":"303a7232-7923-471c-9382-8f70184dc2c7"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779204841000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"17.34 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779205051000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"17.37 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779205051000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"17.37 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"17.37","title":"Latvia issues another possible air threat alert","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Tue 19 May 2026 18.37 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Tue 19 May 2026 09.44 CEST"},{"id":"6a0c7f7a8f0862687c404570","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

He also said he wanted to reinvigorate the Visegrad Four format – with Czech Republic and Slovakia – and even expand it to include Austria and other regional partners.","elementId":"94e16e61-3718-4a83-a5ce-faa5686fb540"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

As expected, he also had to face awkward questions about the fugitive Polish minister (15:19), revealing he too had learned about his escape from the media.","elementId":"1a2904db-09c9-4860-83be-64d9e8fed3ec"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

He said Ziobro most likely left Europe not from Hungary, but from another EU member state, but this is still being looked into.","elementId":"549c50c0-646a-4b6f-bda8-55e14d71fb60"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Earlier, Magyar laid wreaths at the monuments to Polish pope John Paul II and the former, 16th-century king of Poland, the Hungarian Stephen Báthory.","elementId":"830592bb-b564-4e43-a56d-b8c137971c5f"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

He is currently getting a guided tour of Kraków, which you can follow live (if you speak Hungarian, with some occassional Polish and English) on his YouTube.","elementId":"3669eef1-1061-42a9-9ca4-7827eb0c9814"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

In the process, he shows off some of his Polish in the process, greeting locals with cheery (“dzień dobry”) “hello” in Polish and somewhat accidentally telling someone he likes the colours of their football scarf – of Lechia Gdańsk football club – purely on the basis of their colours coinciding with those of his favourite team, Ferencvárosi TC.","elementId":"9448b1c1-ab2c-4c59-98e0-0605140f6714"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Conveniently, both Poland’s PM Tusk and president Nawrocki support Lechia, so guess that’s one more thing to talk about tomorrow.","elementId":"774ce531-8007-4531-a285-9a09904ed744"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779203962000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"17.19 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779205122000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"17.38 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779204524000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"17.28 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"17.28","title":"Magyar wants to restore relations with Poland after years of tensions under Orbán","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Tue 19 May 2026 18.37 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Tue 19 May 2026 09.44 CEST"},{"id":"6a0c771e8f08f027d317256b","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Grynkewich’s words there are not exactly surprising – we have long known that the US was looking to pivot away from Europe and wanted to see more from its European allies – but his clear language on future redeployments of US troops from Europe will only add further urgency to Europe’s attempts to build up its military capabilities.","elementId":"52d78b51-5a74-4360-9b9a-3b91dc12817a"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Behind his reassuring words that the decision to pull out some US troops does not impact “the executability” of Nato’s plans (16:18) and that he remains “very comfortable” with where we are (16:25), there is a clear signal to European allies to get on with the task of expanding its military, quickly.","elementId":"ef2b1178-6173-41ac-a6e4-c24efc310f79"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1779201822000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"16.43 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1779202100000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"16.48 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1779202100000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"16.48 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"16.48","title":"Grynkewich's words are intended to reassure and project urgency at the same time - snap analysis","contributors":[{"name":"Jakub Krupa","imageUrl":"https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2025/01/22/Jakub_Krupa.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=41cc9981ec7b067e2d3b5391c5a68a4f","largeImageUrl":"https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2025/01/22/Jakub_Krupa.png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=4a039a2b765744058f3c2c677268513e"}],"primaryDateLine":"Tue 19 May 2026 18.37 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Tue 19 May 2026 09.44 CEST"},{"id":"6a0c760f8f08f52e78e108b7","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

Grynkewich gets asked for his comments on potential future redeployment of US troops or, in plain speak, even more US troops moving out from Europe.","elementId":"dd2346cc-e224-4689-aff3-69cf20108c6b"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

He says that is a consequence of the US National Defence Strategy that “as the European pillar of the alliance gets stronger, this allows the US to reduce its presence in Europe and limit itself to providing only those capabilities that allies cannot yet provide.”","elementId":"a50e4e1d-f756-4b60-81cf-24de433b7e45"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

“And so we should expect there to be a redeployment of US forces over time as allies build their capacity,” he says.","elementId":"757066e7-0245-476f-a2c4-f25d1353e5a3"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"

He says this will be process going on for “several years” and will “vary broadly across a number of different c