Baltic, EU – Baltic States, Security, USA

This will be the next rotation of U.S. troops as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve to replace soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 173rd Brigade, who are leaving Latvia, Galkins said.

These soldiers will stay in Latvia until the arrival of the Canada-led multinational NATO battalion, the Defense Ministry representative said.

Earlier, officials informed that the Canada-led multinational NATO battalion will start arriving in Latvia in the spring of 2017. Galkins would not comment whether the departure of the U.S. company from Latvia would mean the end of Atlantic Resolve. The U.S. Embassy in Riga did not give any comments on the issue either.

As reported, following the annexation of Crimea by Russia in the spring of 2014, the United States started deploying its troops on a rotational basis in the Baltic States and Poland as part of the U.S. Army in Europe-led operation Atlantic Resolve aimed at boosting security in the region.