About this episode
This episode explores Latvia's defense posture and NATO cooperation through the insights of three Latvian experts.
Welcome back to the Ties That Bind. This week, we go back North to the shores of the Baltic Sea for the perspective from Latvia. In this episode, we’ll hear from three Latvian experts on the evolution of the country’s defense posture, NATO cooperation, and its response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We’ll also hear about what’s happening on the domestic front, with the evolution of national and municipal civilian defense programs, Latvia’s infrastructure investments, and how the country’s public sector is thinking about resilience and building trust in a whole-of-society defense approach. Featured Guests: * Māris Andžāns is the Director of the Center for Geopolitical Studies Riga and an associate professor at Rīga Stradiņš University. * Ieva Berzina is a Senior Researcher at the Center for Security and Strategic Studies, National Academy of Defense of the Republic of Latvia, and an associate professor at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences. * Linda Ozola is a Councilor of the Riga City Council, and former Deputy Mayor of Riga (2020-2025). Listen to the previous episode Lessons in History and Communications from NATO’s Principal Spokesperson here. Get full access to FPRI…
People in this episode
Guests: Māris Andžāns, Ieva Berzina, Linda Ozola
Topics covered
- Latvia
- NATO
- defense posture
- Russia
- civilian defense programs
- infrastructure investments
- public sector resilience
Keywords
- Latvia
- NATO
- defense
- Russia
- civilian defense
- infrastructure
- resilience
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Center for Geopolitical Studies Riga, Rīga Stradiņš University, Center for Security and Strategic Studies, National Academy of Defense of the Republic of Latvia, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Riga City Council
Places: Latvia, Baltic Sea
More episodes of Chain Reaction
- American Grand Strategy in West Asia · June 8, 2026 · 40 min
- Understanding Germany's Defense Strategy · June 3, 2026 · 23 min
- Cyber is War · May 20, 2026 · 45 min
- The Strategy for Affordable Missiles: A Conversation with Ursa Major · May 14, 2026 · 23 min
- The Weaponized Economy · May 5, 2026 · 46 min
- Geopolitical Cycles and the Fragility of the Global Operating System · April 16, 2026 · 36 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Chain Reaction podcast page.