Looking at NATO’s military capabilities, Latvian Transport Minister Atis Svinka is pushing for an accelerated construction pace for the multi-billion euro Rail Baltica railway project. Speaking to “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” Svinka stated, “We must now mobilize all forces and show that we are making progress”. The politician added that his country has long recognized “Russia as a threat” and emphasized, “We need secure defense corridors. Rail Baltica and our ports are part of this”. Furthermore, Svinka advised countries like Germany to increase their spending on defense equipment.
Rail Baltica is considered a monumental project. This double-track high-speed line is intended to connect the Baltic states with the central European rail network, and its construction is expected to last until at least 2030. The rail project has significant military implications: by using a uniform European rail gauge, it would enable the rapid movement of troops and military equipment, such as tanks, from west to east in the event of a Russian attack.
Svinka, who has served as Latvia’s Transport Minister since 2025, stressed the need to protect these established infrastructures. He argued that allocating five percent for defense and security was necessary, referencing the NATO two-percent target. He told the RND, “That is the expertise we can pass on to Europe”.