RIGA, May 13 (LETA) - The drones that have entered Latvian airspace are primarily our own responsibility, said Maris Riekstins, Latvia’s ambassador to NATO, in an interview with Latvian Television last night.

Riekstins did not deny that these drones pose a threat to public safety, but he stated that they should not be treated as an armed attack against Latvia. These objects have "strayed" into our territory and, therefore, NATO capabilities cannot be fully utilized to combat such drones.

NATO’s mission is to deter foreign countries from launching an armed attack against Latvia. These incidents are primarily a matter for us, our armed forces, and the Ministry of Defense, where we deploy our own capabilities, said Riekstins.

The ambassador to NATO noted that Latvia has a 400-kilometer eastern border, the protection of which requires significant resources. Riekstins noted that it is a political decision whether to allocate resources primarily to protecting the airspace along the border, but then one must take into account that there will not be enough funding for other military priorities.

Riekstins added that discussions are currently underway regarding how to strengthen the permanent NATO air patrol mission in Latvia.