Geo Political InsidersLos Angeles
Fineas talks with Raimonds Vingris, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Latvia in Washington, D.C., about how a small Baltic nation punches above its weight. They discuss what an embassy does compared with a consulate, the 100,000-strong Latvian American diaspora, economic diplomacy and growing U.S.-Latvia ties in defense technology, quantum research, AI, and energy, and why Latvians call themselves a “singing nation,” from the Singing Revolution to the Oscar-winning film Flow. They also cover what NATO and EU membership have meant since 2004, why Russia is the defining security concern on NATO’s eastern flank, how smaller languages can survive the AI era, how a generation born in a free Latvia sees its identity, how Latvia integrates its Russian-speaking and other minorities, and advice for students considering a diplomatic career.
Raimonds Vingris is the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Latvia in Washington, D.C. A Latvian career diplomat, he previously served with the European Union Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic as head of its political, press and information section.
Transcript lightly edited for clarity. Click any timestamp to play the video from that moment.
Fineas Hi, I'm Fineas, founder of GeoPolitical Insiders, a site devoted to conversations with diplomats, policymakers, scholars, and national security experts about the forces shaping international affairs. Today I'm joined by Raimonds Vingris, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Latvian Embassy in Washington, D.C. He works to build connections between Latvia and the United States, support the Latvian diaspora in the U.S., and represent his home country. Thank you, Deputy Chief Vingris, for joining me. Let's dive in.
Raimonds Vingris Great to have this conversation.
Fineas What is the Latvian Embassy's mission in the United States, and how does the role of an embassy differ from that of a consulate?
Raimonds Vingris Well, that's pretty simple. An embassy is usually the main diplomatic mission in a third country. Bigger countries have more than one diplomatic mission in some countries, but Latvia, being a rather small country, has only one bilateral diplomatic mission in the United States, which is the Latvian Embassy in Washington, D.C. We also have a permanent representation to the UN in New York, but it does not deal with the bilateral issues of Latvia-U.S. relations. So that is the biggest difference. Consulates usually have a narrower scope, and their main attention is on consular issues. The head of a consulate also usually has narrower functions and is subordinate to the embassy, which as a rule is located in the capital of the country, while consulates are usually in other cities, major hubs for the economy or for the diaspora, but not in the capital, where the embassy resides. That's the biggest difference.
Fineas And how sizable is the Latvian diaspora in the United States?
Raimonds Vingris The diaspora is pretty big compared to the size of our country. We count around 100,000 Latvian Americans in different states of the United States, so it's pretty significant. Obviously it's a mixed bag of people as regards their integration with America. We have Latvians who came relatively recently and have very strong connections, and Latvians who have integrated very well and may have forgotten some of the Latvian language, second- or third-generation Latvians. But usually they are very committed to Latvia and interested in what happens in their historical motherland. The embassy is here to support these ties and also to cultivate cooperation between both countries, using the valuable asset of our diaspora here.
Fineas And what kind of issues do the diaspora community or Latvian tourists typically bring to the embassy?
Raimonds Vingris Well, our relations with the diaspora are very wide, progressing, and multifaceted. A good example: we have the American Latvian Association, which is the lead organization of Latvian organizations here in America. Every year they have a big congress, and this September the American Latvian Association celebrated its 75th anniversary here in Washington, D.C. We had more than 100 representatives from all over the States gathering here. Our President came from Latvia for the occasion, as well as our Foreign Minister, and we discussed everything together with the diaspora: how to nurture closer political ties between Latvia and the U.S. and how the diaspora can help, how we can develop our economic cooperation, how we can support mobility and the ability of American Latvians to go to Latvia more often, to summer schools for children and exchange programs, and how to engage on the cultural and humanitarian agenda, education, you name it.
And obviously we also try to support them: those who have dual citizenship, or who need consular support, passports and things like that. And last but not least, this September the big issue was the parliamentary elections that took place on the 3rd of October. So we engaged a lot with the part of the diaspora that could legally vote as dual nationals, explaining the process and how to vote from the States in the parliamentary elections. When it comes to tourists, we have a growing number of tourists coming from Latvia to the United States, and they usually bring classic consular issues: lost documents, lost IDs and passports. But we have also had requests for economic support from people who come to the States for business interests, and we support them as well.
Fineas And when Latvians come to you for economic support with their business, what does that look like?
Raimonds Vingris Usually, advancing our economic cooperation is coordinated both from the capital and by engaging with partners here. There's a special term for it, economic diplomacy, or commercial diplomacy. We discuss a lot of economic issues with the U.S. government, at the federal level and at the state level. We use our wide network of contacts here, in the business community but also at the governmental level. Organizing business missions is one good example, or businesses accompanying our officials who come here. A good example was the President's visit in September, when he was accompanied by around 40 businesses from different spheres: military technologies, the defense industry, biotech, the film industry, startups, you name it. That's how we work in symbiosis: businesses and officials come, and the embassy and our Investment and Development Agency support building links between the business communities of both countries.
But that's the more organized level. Obviously a lot of things happen without the involvement of government; businesses are usually comfortable enough to build their own links and connections. There are a lot of things we know and a lot of things we don't know. We are not controlling every step of our businesses, and that's how it should be. But where we can be of use as a facilitator, for example with more strategic investments, the embassy certainly steps in to provide support through our knowledge, our contacts, or our access to governmental decision makers, because especially in the defense industry, which is such a strategic industry, we have to engage with the government.
Fineas Can you talk a little bit more about the important economic connections between Latvia and the United States, and where do you see the most opportunity to expand trade, investment, and other economic links between the two countries?
Raimonds Vingris Yes. The economy is a big thing for our relations, and both sides devote a lot of time and resources to advancing this track. For obvious reasons, we have not had very intense trade relations in the past, mostly due to geography and long distances, if you look at classic trade, importing and exporting goods. But that is also happening, and we are expanding bilateral trade. We are also an EU member state, which gives American businesses access to the European market. We export timber to the States and different technological materials, and vice versa, we buy high technology, in energy for example. All of this is happening, but I would say the potential is there to do more, and we are progressing: both our trade and investment numbers were on an upward trend last year, so there is an understanding that the potential is untapped.
As our latest business missions demonstrate, we have good potential and are advancing very well in startups, the defense industry, the film industry, biotech, and everything related to artificial intelligence. We have our niche, for example in very advanced, research-based quantum technologies, and in AI, and in the ability to use our pretty advanced 5G, moving to 6G, networks for testing in the Latvian environment. We have a pretty low tax base and a light regulatory environment, which is also good for investments and activities based in Latvia. So modern technologies are a big, big thing. And not to forget, our cooperation on energy is growing. Around 80% of our LNG imports come from the United States. That's pretty big, and it's a trend that has been evident over the past years. We also buy American technologies when it comes to energy.
In a more policy-oriented framework, we are part of the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative, and if you look into that, you will see a lot of what I already mentioned: strategic sectors and the ability to cooperate and coordinate. We also joined the 6G call-for-action initiative from the United States, and we see great potential there as well. So it's mostly technology and the military in investment and trade between the United States and Latvia, and also biotech and the film industry. It's growing, and it goes in step with the times. It's less about classic trade in foodstuffs and goods and more and more about services, digital, and so on.
Fineas Is Latvia a leader in AI development, or a significant part of its advancement?
Raimonds Vingris Well, as I said, we are a small country, and AI is big globally. Everybody is now looking into AI and advancing their partnerships and technologies, and this is good for mankind. We cannot compare ourselves to the United States in efforts, people, science, and determination. But we do join the U.S. in its initiatives on allied coordination, on how to make the Western approach to artificial intelligence work better for the sake of our own competitiveness. We have rather small hands, but we have our niche where we are stronger. We certainly cannot compete in everything when it comes to AI, but as I said, we are good in quantum technologies and research, and in some niche areas where we can build on what partners are already doing and find a place where we can be of value. That's the beauty of being coordinated and cooperative in the whole Western approach to AI: we support each other to make the Western approach more competitive with other regions of the world.
Fineas And you said that Latvia imports about 80% of its energy from the United States?
Raimonds Vingris LNG, not all energy. When it comes to LNG, 80% of imports come from the United States.
Fineas Can you talk about the cultural exchanges that Latvian Americans bring to the United States, and that strengthen ties between the two countries?
Raimonds Vingris Yes, culture is big. We very, very much care about these cultural ties, and in general we are very cultural people, as you'll probably have a chance to see when you're in Latvia. We call ourselves a singing nation. Every Latvian likes to sing. Our choir culture is very deep, and so are our drama, theater, and dance cultures. We regularly have big Latvian song and dance festivals, and not only in Latvia: we had a big one in the United States, in Grand Rapids, and next year we'll have a big one on the West Coast, in California. So culture is not just an afterthought; we invest our resources and time in it. When it comes to our relations with the United States, we try to nurture these ties both ways: musicians from the United States join cultural events in Latvia, and we want to bring our culture here, so that both the diaspora and the wider U.S. public know what Latvia and Latvian culture are all about.
This year, obviously, we put even more emphasis on cultural ties because of the 250th anniversary of United States independence, which was a good framework for us to develop closer cultural ties. For example, we brought one of our most famous rock bands to the U.S.; they had a concert at the Kennedy Center this summer and in some other cities. We also bring other musicians, and we hold movie screening nights. Next week I will be opening a screening here in D.C. of Blizzard of Souls. And obviously the big hit was the animated film Flow, which won an Oscar in 2025. That helped promote Latvia and its film industry, because it was the first Oscar ever in Latvian film history. So yes, we devote a lot of attention to culture, at the individual level but also at the state level, and we want to nurture these ties further.
Fineas So it seems like Latvian culture is diffusing more in the United States than it did previously.
Raimonds Vingris Well, this year in particular, because of the 250th anniversary. And I believe next year will also be strong for cultural ties, because we will mark 105 years of diplomatic relations between Latvia and the United States. So there are a lot of opportunities to promote cultural ties further.
Fineas What's one Latvian cultural artifact that you'd like to see become prevalent in American everyday life? Whether it's food or music or anything.
Raimonds Vingris Well, food is good, but it's hard to compete with the many other great cuisines in Europe. I would really highlight our song and dance culture, because it's very historical. We call our fight for independence from the communist regime the Singing Revolution, because people demonstrated by gathering, waving flags, and singing songs. This runs throughout the cultural and historical fabric of Latvia, and the big political developments in our history are usually associated with cultural awakening and performances. This is how we survived the communist occupation: by keeping a cultural life that united people at a time when it was impossible, or very hard, to go on the streets and make statements about independence and national sovereignty. Our Song and Dance Festival is included in UNESCO's world heritage. If you happen to be in Latvia when these big festivals take place, you will see how it unites Latvians and how impressive it is when you have 10,000 choir singers and 20,000 people in the audience singing along, because everybody knows these songs. That's something worth experiencing, and it also shows a bit about the Latvian personality, I would even say, and Latvian society.
Fineas That's amazing. I didn't know that.
Raimonds Vingris Yes, indeed. The Singing Revolution.
Fineas Shifting gears a little bit, I'd like to talk about Latvia's position in the wider Western world. What does NATO membership mean for Latvia today, and how does it shape the country's relationship with the United States?
Raimonds Vingris Well, I would probably answer on both NATO and the EU, because 2004 was a significant year when Latvia joined both organizations. It was a historic moment for our country, because we saw it as historical justice: after years of occupation, we were back in the European family, de facto accepted as members of a freedom-loving, democratic Europe in the European Union, and of a freedom-loving, self-assured defense alliance in NATO. In practical terms, NATO gave us the necessary guarantees that the historical injustices we witnessed after the Second World War will not be repeated, and that we are part of a bloc that is ready to defend each other in case external aggression comes again. For a small country like Latvia, that was extremely important. Our membership in NATO has also had a positive impact on our relations with the United States, because since 2004 we have been united in our common effort as NATO allies, so our cooperation on military defense and security has grown much closer.
And of course we expect and credit a lot to U.S. involvement, because the U.S. has been the anchor of NATO through its defense presence, military support, and capabilities. To a large extent, the United States has been the foundation of NATO's collective defense. Meanwhile, it's good to see that over the past years things are changing, and Europeans are taking more responsibility into their own hands, and that's how it should be. You can see it in growing defense investments and their share of national budgets. We take it very seriously, raising our investment in defense and security to 5% of GDP and more. That is important, especially having an aggressor country on our eastern border, Russia. Especially since 2022, when Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we see how important this defense alliance is, and how it can deter aggressors from looking at a country with the wish to expand their empire.
If not for NATO, we can only speculate what would already have happened to the smaller Eastern European countries. So we are very, very grateful to be part of the alliance. Meanwhile, we understand that it is not only a benefit but also a responsibility: we all have to contribute our share to collective defense, and we all have to develop the alliance further so it is capable of facing the risks and threats of the 21st century, including the hybrid threats that are coming more and more, and especially because we have an active military conflict in Europe on a scale not seen since the Second World War. We certainly do not want to see a disaster of that scale come back to the continent. That's why NATO is and will remain the centerpiece of transatlantic cooperation between Europe and the United States.
Fineas What would you most like NATO allies to understand about Latvia's specific security concerns?
Raimonds Vingris Well, that's very easy to answer. At the moment there is one big security concern for the whole of Europe, and especially for those on the eastern flank, and that concern is Russia, because of the imperialistic policy that is so evident in Ukraine. It was already evident in 2008, when Russia invaded parts of Georgia, and in 2014, when Crimea was annexed. That is our main concern as Europeans and as Latvians: that there is a rogue country with a capable military that is willing to reshape the security architecture and order in Europe, but also in the world. An adversary that is willing to disrupt the international relations model that has worked so well over the past 70 years, built on the rule of law, international law, and respect for the sovereignty and independence of other countries. So this is important both from the classic military defense point of view, for Eastern Europeans and for Latvians, because we feel that threat very close and very real, and we have to deter it, but also because of the impact on the international system as we know it today.
We have to learn from history, and history is always good to reference. You cannot give in to aggression. The appetite of aggression grows if you show weakness. Here we completely support the United States administration's approach of peace through strength. Oftentimes aggressors such as Putin's Russia do not understand any other language than strength, so that is the best deterrent: showing, first of all, that we will defend each other and that we have the capabilities to do it, so that risking any attack or incursion on our alliance would be foolish and would face a proper response. So I would say the main message is to understand the importance of this historical moment and the necessity of a proper response, with both political and military means.
Fineas Understanding the threat of Russia, and making sure that Latvia is defended.
Raimonds Vingris And it's not just about Latvia. Latvia is a piece of it. We know that Russia, I would say Russia led by Putin, is also testing our resolve, testing our willingness to defend every centimeter of European territory. And again, looking at history, there are no limits to the appetite for aggression, whether it's communists or Nazis or anyone else. So it has to be stopped at the first opportunity. You cannot give in to the demands of aggressors. An aggressor can take one piece, but that will not stop him. Giving in would be extremely dangerous for the unity and resolve of the whole West, not just Europe, but transatlantic relations. We simply cannot afford that.
Fineas So Latvia, as a member of the European Union, joined in 2004, as you said. How has Latvia's economy changed since joining the EU, and how has it become more connected to the wider European community?
Raimonds Vingris Well, I would put joining the EU in the same basket as joining NATO. If NATO was more about defense and security, the EU was more about prosperity, well-being, and the economy. But the two are intertwined, because a more secure country means more investment, and more investment and a stronger economy mean more security. The European Union is an unprecedented experiment and a model for many around the world of how countries can integrate for the benefit of all, and there is so much factual evidence of the benefits of this kind of regional integration. There could be many books written about it; I think it's a fantastic achievement of civilization. For Latvia, our economy grew, our GDP grew, our well-being grew enormously: the influx of investment, improvements in infrastructure, the increase in salaries. Just my own example: my first salary 20-something years ago compared with now is not two, three, or four times bigger, it's 10 times bigger, because we went from being a transitional country to being an EU member state, with all the benefits that brought.
And what was probably even more important than the direct influx of investment and money: it gave us motivation and incentive to reform. You cannot join the EU without preparation; it takes hard work on legislative and regulatory adjustments to be ready for membership in the EU family. Understanding the benefits that membership would bring, the appetite for reform was very strong throughout society. And it gave the people of Latvia more assurance that we can be part of Europe, develop with Europe, that we can achieve, do our job, be successful, study, and fulfill our individual dreams for the benefit of the whole country. More than 20 years in the EU have certainly been a success for Latvia's economy, security, and the well-being of our people. And I cannot overstate the value of the mobility and freedoms it has given: freedom of movement, freedom of trade, and so on. Mobility gave young people especially the possibility to study in Europe, but also to work and gain much-needed experience.
There are so many positive impacts from joining the EU that, as I said, you could write books about it. So we value that membership a lot. We consider that the EU as a project has to develop further and enlarge. That's why, as Balts and as Latvians, we are strong proponents of EU enlargement, of giving other countries the opportunities we received, to benefit from those incentives to reform and from prosperity. And when we involve more members, we improve our collective development and well-being. So we strongly support the enlargement processes, especially when it comes to Ukraine and the Balkan countries. I think that success has to develop further.
Fineas So joining the EU has been massively beneficial to the Latvian economy. But how has it deepened connections with the rest of Europe, and how is Latvia able to balance that greater regional integration with preserving its language, culture, and national identity?
Raimonds Vingris Well, the beauty of Europe and the European Union is captured in one of its slogans: unity in diversity. The European Union does not have any negative impact on us preserving our identity, culture, and language. There is no attrition for the benefit of some kind of federal identity. Meanwhile, obviously many people, especially in Latvia, consider themselves both Latvians and Europeans. A European identity is a new phenomenon, especially among the younger population, which is good. But there is no contradiction between that and Latvian national identity and culture. So we do not see any detrimental effect on our nationhood and culture from being an EU member state. We see the opportunity to mingle and experience more cultures and opportunities, and that is also promoted through different instruments at the EU level, which we use. I think it enriches us as Europeans to be open and tolerant toward each other, and to learn from and be enriched by other cultures, without risking losing our own, while promoting our own culture to the much wider audience that Europe provides.
One thing I would say we have to look into more is not about European integration, it's about the development of modern technologies, especially when it comes to language. How can we ensure that smaller languages survive in the digital revolution, when artificial intelligence is mostly built in one or a few languages? How can we keep pace for smaller languages that are not widely spoken? Using AI and language models, how can we make sure that smaller countries' models are there? That's a global challenge that we have to answer in response to the technological revolution we are experiencing right now.
Fineas You touched on this a little bit, but how do younger Latvians who grew up after the restoration of independence understand their national identity differently from generations who experienced the Soviet Union?
Raimonds Vingris Well, the main difference is that they were born in a free Latvia, and that's a big difference. The older generation, including me, I was born in '82, has memories. I have childhood memories from Soviet times, very simple ones: long queues, the pioneer movement, having a red scarf of the communist youth forced on me, or a small pin with Lenin, watching communist leaders on TV at school. I have these kinds of flashbacks from a childhood that was mostly about how the communist world didn't work in my country in the '80s. But the older generation, my parents and grandparents, are much more aware. They remember the limits that regime imposed and all the atrocities it was responsible for: the limits on freedoms, on human rights, on the rule of law. It's important that those people have these memories and can compare, and this is a value we try to nurture, continuing to speak with the younger generation about the value of an independent, free, democratic country, and how important it is to take care of the country: to be patriotic, to nurture a feeling of gratitude for having the country, and to do our utmost to continue to be a free, democratic, rule-of-law-based nation.
And also to enter into partnerships with nations of a similar kind and to promote what we would say are the most advanced models of nationhood globally. Just look at the facts: democracies do not attack democracies. On the economic and well-being scale, people live better in democratic countries than in other regions. People are more secure in democratic countries, and democratic countries go to war less. That's why we have to nurture this. We have to remember our history, but also use it to nurture these values, both nationally and internationally, and this is very high on Latvia's political and social agenda.
Fineas And Latvia has a very substantial ethnic Russian population. How does that Russian population shape the country's national identity, and what helps build a shared sense of belonging across ethnic and linguistic communities?
Raimonds Vingris Well, we do not have just a Russian minority. The Russian minority is the largest, but we also have quite substantial Lithuanian, Belarusian, Jewish, and German communities in Latvia. The key word here is integration, and many minorities, especially the younger generation, are integrating rather well: learning the language, practicing the culture, and in different ways supporting the common development of our country. We see this trend particularly in the younger generation, who are a lot more patriotic, who were born in independent Latvia, who also have a European Union identity, and this process is ongoing. So we are happy to see that. Obviously there is a certain challenge in that the cultural motherland of one minority is currently an internationally recognized aggressor. So we do have restrictions and limits on promoting the policies of the country that is now waging a war in Europe. That's why we have closed some Russian channels and been restrictive with TV channels that disseminate Russian propaganda, and that might not be perceived equally well by all parts of the minority groups. But that is a no-brainer: we have to take care, first of all, of our independence, stability, and so on.
However, I would like to repeat that we see a positive trend of good integration. The government is doing its utmost to work with all the minorities, while giving them space to practice their own culture and language, because we do not put restrictions on that. Meanwhile, of course, any minority also has to respect the country it is in and the rules and laws that are equal for everyone in that country. But the trend is positive, and we see more and more young people from minority groups becoming patriotic and involved in the well-being of our country.
Fineas And how does that change generationally? Do all the Russians in Latvia see themselves as less Latvian and more Russian?
Raimonds Vingris Well, certainly there is the factor that the older generation has memories and went through different stages of forming their identity during the years of communist rule. It's harder to change the attitudes of older people than younger ones, because young people are usually more flexible and open. So there is this element. But again, we have many, many Russian-speaking Latvians who are very patriotic and fully support Latvia's political course, and we value that very much. First of all, we consider them all Latvians: Russian Latvians, Jewish Latvians, Latvian Latvians. We aim for a collective effort to make our country better, more prosperous, and more secure, and that works pretty well.
Fineas And do these younger generations of Russian communities in Latvia typically see themselves as Latvian first, before any other identity?
Raimonds Vingris It's a good question. As per their passport, they are Latvian: Latvia is the country you are a citizen of. When it comes to cultural identity, again, we are very open and liberal about people practicing their own cultural identity. We are not here to assimilate nations; quite the opposite. We value highly the European Union slogan of unity in diversity, and we respect that minorities have their own roots and their own connections to their motherlands. That's why they also hold a lot of cultural events, and we support those as well. So I think it's a good symbiosis: you are a citizen of the country, but everybody has their heritage and their roots, and it's fine to practice and nurture those roots, as long as it does not go outside the bounds of the law.
Fineas Right. So Latvia is able to separate ethnic and national identity, and accept all communities?
Raimonds Vingris Absolutely. Absolutely.
Fineas And so, just a last question: what advice would you personally give to a high school or college student interested in pursuing a career in international affairs?
Raimonds Vingris Well, international relations is a big field. You can be a practitioner, an academic, or a journalist covering international relations. But I would concentrate on diplomacy, and there it's important to keep in mind that it's not just a job. It's a bit of a lifestyle. You have to be ready to live in foreign countries for long periods. That will certainly affect your ability to stay connected with your loved ones and your family in your home country, and your family has to be flexible in adjusting to that lifestyle. But it's also very rewarding. You can practice your profession in different environments and learn a lot about different countries: political systems, economic development, culture, identity, nature. It's extremely rewarding, but it's a lifestyle, because being a diplomat doesn't stop at 5 p.m. when business hours end. It continues, formally, with receptions and events outside working hours, but also in your private life, because you are often in another country, and that's a great opportunity to explore, to combine professional and private interests, and to grow with your profession in the countries you are assigned to. So for any young person who wants to become a diplomat and join the foreign service, it's an important life decision. You have to keep that in mind, but if you feel it would fit you, I would certainly recommend it, because it's extremely rewarding and enriching as a person.
Fineas So a rewarding career, but be ready to spend years in foreign countries.
Raimonds Vingris Well, again, it depends on the system. In some systems you can go on fewer foreign postings. But that is certainly an important part of being a diplomat: not just working in your capital, but also going abroad. That's where real diplomacy is most evident, when you are a diplomat in another country. So you have to be ready for many postings, for restarting your life from scratch, installing yourself in new countries. Every new country brings a lot of bureaucracy and logistical challenges: finding a house, enrolling your kids in school, figuring out what your partner will do. It's a complex issue, and you have to be aware that it's part of being a diplomat, and that you will have to be inventive and flexible on many occasions.
Fineas All right. That's all I have for you. Thank you.
Raimonds Vingris Thanks a lot for this conversation. It was very useful. Good luck with your work, and with your trip to Latvia next year. If the embassy can help you in this regard, please let us know, but I'm sure you will enjoy your time in Riga.