Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman visited Riga on 9 and 10 September 2026, where, ahead of the Riga Conference, he attended a working dinner of six European foreign ministers and held a bilateral meeting with Dace Melbārde, Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.
At the working dinner, hosted by Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže, the foreign ministers of Croatia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Hungary and Poland exchanged views on European Union enlargement, Russian hybrid and other security threats to Europe, and current challenges in the Middle East.
Grlić Radman delivered the opening remarks on EU enlargement, stressing that it remains one of the key foreign policy priorities of the Republic of Croatia and a strategic investment in a stable, secure and prosperous Europe. He underscored the importance of a credible enlargement process based on the individual merits of candidate countries, fulfilment of the established criteria and recognition of the geopolitical importance of enlargement.
Speaking about Ukraine and Moldova, the minister stressed that their closer integration with the European Union contributes to the security, resilience and democratic stability of the European continent. He also underlined that gradual integration into individual EU policies can be a useful instrument for accelerating the accession process, but cannot substitute for full membership once all the conditions have been met.
He also placed particular emphasis on the European perspective of the Western Balkans, highlighting Croatia's strong support for EU enlargement to the countries of the region. In this context, he stressed that the stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its European future remain among the key foreign policy priorities of the Republic of Croatia, alongside the importance of the full equality of its three constituent peoples, legitimate political representation of Croats, and reform of electoral legislation.
During the discussion on security challenges, Grlić Radman warned of the intensification of Russian hybrid and destabilising activities and stressed the need for a timely and coordinated European response, the protection of critical infrastructure, and further strengthening of EU-NATO cooperation. Speaking about the Middle East, he underlined the importance of freedom and safety of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law, as well as the role of diplomacy and dialogue in finding sustainable solutions to regional crises.
On 10 September, Grlić Radman met with Dace Melbārde, Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia. The interlocutors discussed bilateral relations, economic, security and defence cooperation, current issues within the European Union and NATO, enlargement policy, and international security challenges.
The minister expressed satisfaction with the close and friendly relations between Croatia and Latvia and highlighted an interest in further intensifying political dialogue, exchanges of visits and strengthening economic cooperation, particularly in the fields of information and communication technologies, infrastructure, energy, the pharmaceutical and food industries, and the defence sector.
The importance of strengthening transport, energy and digital connectivity between the Baltic and Adriatic regions was particularly highlighted, as was cooperation in the areas of energy resilience and the European defence industry. Grlić Radman thanked Latvia for its continued support for Croatia's accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and expressed his expectation that Latvia would continue its support during the final stage of the accession process.
In conclusion, the minister reiterated Croatia's commitment to continuing its comprehensive support for Ukraine and the need to preserve the unity of European and transatlantic partners in addressing security challenges. Croatia and Latvia will continue to work closely together within the European Union and NATO and contribute to strengthening European security, resilience and stability.
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