On May 9, AmCham held a business luncheon featuring NATO experts from the Strategic Communications center of Excellence and U.S. Mission to NATO to discuss the current defense challenges and regional security.

During the discussion Janis Karklins, Director of NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence and Quinn Wofford of the U.S. Mission to NATO provided remarks about the ongoing events in Ukraine and gave an overview on regional security.

When Latvia became part of the strongest military alliance in the world ten years ago, it began to experience a greater sense of security. In contrast, today NATO faces the most serious threat to its Euroatlantic territory since the end of the Cold War.

According to Jānis Kārkliņš the aim of NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence is to support and strengthen the Alliance’s strategic communications capabilities. Its task is to elaborate proposals and possible ways of action to improve strategic communications, to organize research and develop training, as well as give any other support needed in line with NATO priorities. In dealing with the current crisis over Ukraine, the center will try to analyze what Russia has done and suggest certain remedies. NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence will work in three directions: analytical, operational and educational. He quoted Preambular of Unesco: „The battle is not only in the battlefield but also in the minds of men.” Mr. Kārkliņš also mentioned that Russian military strategists have developed a completely new concept "new generation warfare".

Quinn Wofford explained that NATO stands united in upholding its core values, in particular, the collective defense of its members. In addition, the security and territorial defense of all NATO allies are guaranteed in accordance with the Washington Treaty commitments, signed 65 years ago and still of great relevance today. NATO is working allies with the U.S. to get back to normal relations with Russia and top level committee is active to maintain a political dialogue.

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