Latvia has locked in a €3.5 billion loan through the European Union’s Security Action for Europe program, joining a growing roster of nations tapping into what amounts to the bloc’s most ambitious defense financing mechanism ever created.
The signing ceremony in Riga brought together EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius and Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs. Latvia is now the eighth country to formalize an agreement under SAFE, following larger nations including Poland and France.
Where the money goes
The funds are earmarked for a specific set of military priorities: unmanned aerial systems, anti-drone technologies, guided missiles, and expanding Latvia’s domestic defense industrial capacity.
Kubilius offered praise for Latvia’s progress in drone and counter-drone technology, describing it as a model for other EU member states.
