
Theforeign relations of Latvia are primarily managed by theMinistry of Foreign Affairs. The modernRepublic of Latvia considers itself a continuation of the1918–1940 Latvian state. After declaring the restoration of full independence on August 21, 1991, Latvia joined theUnited Nations on September 17, 1991, and has since become a signatory to numerous UN organizations and international agreements. On June 3, 2025, Latvia was elected to theUnited Nations Security Council by theGeneral Assembly.[1]
Latvia actively pursues deeper integration and cooperation withNATO, theEuropean Union (EU), theOECD, and other Western organizations. It also seeks to expand its role inUN peacekeeping missions worldwide.
Latvia is a member of several international organizations, including:
In anationwide referendum on September 20, 2003, Latvians voted in favor of joining theEuropean Union. Latvia officially became anEU member state on May 1, 2004.[2] It also joinedNATO on March 29, 2004.[3]
On April 11, 2024,Latvia signed a 10-year security agreement withUkraine.[4]
| Organization | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| See2004 enlargement of the European Union Latvia joined theEuropean Union as a full member on 1 May 2004. | ||
Latvia joinedNATO as a full member on 29 March 2004. |
List of countries which Latvia maintains diplomatic relations with:
| # | Country | Date[5] |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 August 1991 | |
| 2 | 26 August 1991 | |
| 3 | 27 August 1991 | |
| 4 | 27 August 1991 | |
| 5 | 28 August 1991 | |
| 6 | 28 August 1991 | |
| 7 | 29 August 1991 | |
| 8 | 30 August 1991 | |
| 9 | 30 August 1991 | |
| 10 | 30 August 1991 | |
| 11 | 2 September 1991 | |
| 12 | 2 September 1991 | |
| 13 | 3 September 1991 | |
| 14 | 5 September 1991 | |
| 15 | 5 September 1991 | |
| 16 | 5 September 1991 | |
| 17 | 5 September 1991 | |
| 18 | 6 September 1991 | |
| 19 | 10 September 1991 | |
| 20 | 12 September 1991 | |
| 21 | 13 September 1991 | |
| 22 | 18 September 1991 | |
| 23 | 24 September 1991 | |
| 24 | 26 September 1991 | |
| 25 | 26 September 1991 | |
| 26 | 26 September 1991 | |
| 27 | 30 September 1991 | |
| – | 1 October 1991 | |
| 28 | 2 October 1991 | |
| 29 | 4 October 1991 | |
| 30 | 5 October 1991 | |
| 31 | 9 October 1991 | |
| 32 | 9 October 1991 | |
| 33 | 10 October 1991 | |
| 34 | 15 October 1991 | |
| 35 | 22 October 1991 | |
| 36 | 22 October 1991 | |
| 37 | 4 November 1991 | |
| 38 | 27 November 1991 | |
| 39 | 7 December 1991 | |
| 40 | 17 December 1991 | |
| 41 | 18 December 1991 | |
| 42 | 19 December 1991 | |
| 43 | 20 December 1991 | |
| 44 | 20 December 1991 | |
| 45 | 1 January 1992 | |
| 46 | 3 January 1992 | |
| 47 | 6 January 1992 | |
| 48 | 19 January 1992 | |
| 49 | 20 January 1992 | |
| 50 | 23 January 1992 | |
| 51 | 29 January 1992 | |
| 52 | 12 February 1992 | |
| 53 | 12 February 1992 | |
| 54 | 13 February 1992 | |
| 55 | 14 February 1992 | |
| 56 | 19 March 1992 | |
| 57 | 7 April 1992 | |
| 58 | 20 April 1992 | |
| 59 | 23 April 1992 | |
| 60 | 29 April 1992 | |
| 61 | 29 April 1992 | |
| 62 | 3 June 1992 | |
| 63 | 9 June 1992 | |
| 64 | 26 June 1992 | |
| 65 | 6 July 1992 | |
| 66 | 7 July 1992 | |
| 67 | 18 July 1992 | |
| 68 | 22 August 1992 | |
| 69 | 1 September 1992 | |
| 70 | 5 October 1992 | |
| 71 | 21 October 1992 | |
| 72 | 21 October 1992 | |
| 73 | 3 November 1992 | |
| 74 | 26 November 1992 | |
| 75 | 10 December 1992 | |
| 76 | 1 January 1993 | |
| 77 | 1 January 1993 | |
| 78 | 14 January 1993 | |
| 79 | 21 January 1993 | |
| 80 | 5 February 1993 | |
| 81 | 5 February 1993 | |
| 82 | 11 March 1993 | |
| 83 | 18 March 1993 | |
| 84 | 19 March 1993 | |
| 85 | 24 May 1993 | |
| 86 | 25 May 1993 | |
| 87 | 12 June 1993 | |
| 88 | 25 August 1993 | |
| 89 | 11 January 1994 | |
| 90 | 22 March 1994 | |
| 91 | 24 March 1994 | |
| 92 | 11 May 1994 | |
| 93 | 20 June 1994 | |
| 94 | 20 June 1994 | |
| 95 | 15 July 1994 | |
| 96 | 26 July 1994 | |
| 97 | 12 September 1994 | |
| 98 | 27 April 1995 | |
| 99 | 19 July 1995 | |
| – | 15 August 1995 | |
| 100 | 18 September 1995 | |
| 101 | 22 September 1995 | |
| 102 | 14 March 1996 | |
| 103 | 19 April 1996 | |
| 104 | 23 April 1996 | |
| 105 | 23 April 1996 | |
| 106 | 29 April 1996 | |
| 107 | 4 June 1996 | |
| 108 | 23 July 1996 | |
| 109 | 27 August 1996 | |
| 110 | 19 September 1996 | |
| 111 | 31 October 1996 | |
| 112 | 3 December 1996 | |
| 113 | 10 December 1996 | |
| 114 | 17 January 1997 | |
| 115 | 27 February 1997 | |
| 116 | 19 March 1997 | |
| 117 | 11 April 1997 | |
| 118 | 28 November 1997 | |
| 119 | 16 January 1998 | |
| 120 | 12 March 1998 | |
| 121 | 29 April 1998 | |
| 122 | 10 September 1998 | |
| 123 | 7 March 2000 | |
| 124 | 27 March 2000 | |
| 125 | 14 July 2000 | |
| 126 | 11 January 2001 | |
| 127 | 19 January 2001 | |
| 128 | 30 March 2001 | |
| 129 | 15 August 2001 | |
| 130 | 12 February 2003 | |
| 131 | 11 March 2003 | |
| 132 | 17 March 2003 | |
| 133 | 21 March 2003 | |
| 134 | 15 May 2003 | |
| 135 | 1 July 2003 | |
| 136 | 8 July 2003 | |
| 137 | 15 October 2004 | |
| 138 | 18 January 2005 | |
| 139 | 20 January 2005 | |
| 140 | 3 February 2005 | |
| 141 | 16 March 2005 | |
| 142 | 19 June 2006 | |
| 143 | 21 June 2006 | |
| 144 | 25 August 2006 | |
| 145 | 14 December 2006 | |
| 146 | 16 February 2007 | |
| 147 | 10 April 2007 | |
| 148 | 27 September 2007 | |
| 149 | 7 March 2008 | |
| 150 | 11 March 2008 | |
| 151 | 15 May 2008 | |
| – | 10 June 2008 | |
| 152 | 15 October 2008 | |
| 153 | 13 November 2008 | |
| 154 | 20 May 2009 | |
| 155 | 8 June 2009 | |
| 156 | 24 February 2010 | |
| 157 | 14 January 2011 | |
| 158 | 6 April 2011 | |
| 159 | 7 July 2011 | |
| 160 | 7 July 2011 | |
| 161 | 30 March 2012 | |
| 162 | 5 April 2012 | |
| 163 | 17 April 2012 | |
| 164 | 30 May 2012 | |
| 165 | 28 June 2012 | |
| 166 | 28 June 2012 | |
| 167 | 19 September 2012 | |
| 168 | 26 September 2012 | |
| 169 | 26 September 2013 | |
| 170 | 27 September 2013 | |
| 171 | 1 October 2013 | |
| 172 | 10 February 2014 | |
| 173 | 10 April 2014 | |
| 174 | 23 September 2014 | |
| 175 | 26 September 2014 | |
| 176 | 12 December 2014 | |
| 177 | 23 January 2015 | |
| 178 | 23 January 2015 | |
| 179 | 25 February 2015 | |
| 180 | 20 March 2015 | |
| 181 | 7 April 2015 | |
| 182 | 10 April 2015 | |
| 183 | 16 April 2015 | |
| 184 | 9 May 2018 | |
| 185 | 21 May 2018 | |
| 186 | 26 September 2018[6] | |
| 187 | 16 November 2018[6] | |
| 188 | 28 October 2020[6] | |
| 189 | 14 July 2021[6] | |
| 190 | 23 September 2021[7] | |
| 191 | 19 September 2022[8] | |
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1921-01-26, 1991-08-26[9] | SeeCanada–Latvia relations | |
| 1922-07-08, 1995-07-19[10] | ||
| 27 November 1991 | SeeLatvia–Mexico relations
| |
| 1922-07-28 | SeeLatvia – United States relations
|
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 22 August 1992 | SeeArmenia–Latvia relations
| |
| 1994-01-11[19] | SeeAzerbaijan–Latvia relations
| |
SeeChina–Latvia relations
| ||
| 2004-10-15 |
| |
| 1992-01-06 | SeeIsrael–Latvia relations
| |
| 10 October 1991 | ||
| 1992-12-30 | SeeKazakhstan–Latvia relations
| |
| 1993-03-18 |
| |
Latvia doesn't have any embassy in Malaysia.[32] while Malaysian embassy inHelsinki is accredited to Latvia.[33][34] | ||
| 1991-10-22[35] | See Latvia – South Korea relations[36] The establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Latvijas Republika began on 1991-10-22.
| |
| 1923 | SeeLatvia–Taiwan relations
| |
| 1994-05-11 |
| |
SeeLatvia–Turkey relations
|
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1928-02-16, 1992-04-22 |
| |
| ||
| ||
| 1922-05-24, 1991-09-10[44] | SeeBulgaria–Latvia relations Bulgaria is represented in Latvia through its embassy in Warsaw (Poland) and through an honorary consulate in Riga. Latvia is represented in Bulgaria through its embassy in Warsaw (Poland) and through an honorary consulate in Sofia. Both countries are full members of NATO and of the European Union. | |
| SeeForeign relations of Croatia | ||
SeeCyprus–Latvia relations
| ||
| ||
SeeDenmark–Latvia relations
| ||
| 1919-07-21, 1991-09-06[47] | SeeEstonia–Latvia relations
| |
| 24 September 1919 | SeeFinland–Latvia relations
| |
| 1921-01-26, 1991-08-30 | SeeFrance–Latvia relations
| |
| SeeGeorgia–Latvia relations | ||
SeeGermany–Latvia relations
| ||
SeeGreece-Latvia relations
| ||
| ||
| SeeIceland–Latvia relations Iceland was the first country to recognise the independence of Latvia in August 1991. Both countries re-established diplomatic relations on August 22, 1991. Iceland is represented in Latvia through its embassy inHelsinki (Finland). Latvia is represented in Iceland through its embassy inOslo (Norway) and an honorary consulate in Reykjavik. Both countries are full members of theCouncil of the Baltic Sea States, ofNATO, and of theCouncil of Europe. | ||
| ||
| 10 June 2008 | SeeKosovo–Latvia relations Latviarecognized it on February 20, 2008.[49] Latvian and Kosovan governments established diplomatic relations on June 10, 2008.[50] However, Latvia's involvement in Kosovo date back to 2000 when it first sentpeacekeeping troops. | |
| 1991-10-05 | SeeLatvia–Lithuania relations
| |
| ||
| ||
| SeeLatvia–Montenegro relations | ||
SeeLatvia–Netherlands relations
| ||
| SeeLatvia–Norway relations | ||
| 1991-08-30 | SeeLatvia–Poland relations
| |
| ||
| 1922-01-03 |
| |
| 1920-10-04 and again 1991-10-04 | SeeLatvia–Russia relations
| |
| 2001-01-19 |
| |
| ||
SeeLatvia–Spain relations
| ||
| SeeLatvia–Sweden relations Sweden recognized Latvia on 4 February 1921.[62] Sweden resumed diplomatic relations with Latvia on 28 August 1991.[63]
| ||
| 12 February 1992 | SeeLatvia–Ukraine relations
| |
| 5 September 1991 | SeeLatvia–United Kingdom relations Latvia establisheddiplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 5 September 1991.
Both countries share common membership of theCouncil of Europe,International Criminal Court,Joint Expeditionary Force,NATO,OECD,OSCE, and theWorld Trade Organization. |
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 21 November 1991 | SeeAustralia–Latvia relations
|
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Relations between Latvia and Slovakia are good and have a potential for development, Latvian Foreign Minister Indulis Berzins and his Slovak counterpart Eduard Kukan agreed in the talks in Riga today. Latvia and Slovakia have common foreign policy aims which facilitate bilateral relations and discussions. Berzins and Kukan agreed that both countries were interested in development of a political dialogue, cooperation between foreign and defence ministries, as well as...
Regeringen har i gårdagens konselj erkänt republikerna Estland och Lettland såsom självständiga och oberoende stater.[At yesterday's council, the government recognized the republics of Estonia and Latvia as independent and sovereign states.]