Riga: A drone was shot down by a NATO fighter aircraft on Monday in Latvia after an air alert over the regions of Rezica and Ludza in the east of the country, local media reported.
Last month, the violation of Latvian airspace by drones had triggered a political crisis that led to the resignation of the Minister of Defence and the subsequent resignation of Prime Minister Evika Silina, Italian news agency Adnkronos reported.
The drone on Monday was intercepted by French fighter jets from the NATO Baltic Air Policing operation. Russia has recently intensified the diversion, with electronic jamming, of Ukrainian drones over the Baltic countries.
Adnkronos reported that 155 drones were launched from Moscow overnight, and Ukrainian defence forces shot down 124 of them. The command of the Ukrainian Air Force wrote on Telegram that the drones were shot down in the north, south, and east of the country.
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany, collectively known as the E3, have voiced support for direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia aimed at achieving a ceasefire and advancing peace negotiations, following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in London.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz issued a joint statement with Zelensky after the meeting on Sunday, saying they backed direct Ukraine-Russia talks with the active participation of the United States and Europe.
The four leaders called for an immediate and complete ceasefire, saying the current line of contact should serve as the starting point for negotiations, reports Xinhua news agency.
According to the statement, Europe should play an important role in the peace process, with relevant efforts conducted in close coordination with Ukraine, European partners and the United States.
The leaders also discussed post-ceasefire security arrangements for Ukraine. The statement said European security interests should be safeguarded in any agreement and noted that matters relating to the European Union and NATO would require the consent of their respective members.
(IANS)
