L
atvia's parliament has passed a bill restricting real estate purchases by Russian and Belarusian citizens, citing national security concerns. The law excludes EU nationals, Latvian permanent residents, Belarusian refugees, and repatriates from the ban. It also prohibits entities with at least 25% Russian or Belarusian ownership from buying property.

    The move is seen as a measure to limit the influence of individuals and companies hostile to Latvia. As a country bordering Russia and Estonia, Latvia is considered vulnerable to potential Russian aggression. In response to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Latvia has increased civil preparedness measures and drafted plans for relocating a quarter of its population in case of war.

    EU intelligence agencies have warned of rising Russian sabotage operations, including suspected arson attacks coordinated by Moscow. Latvia joins Finland in imposing restrictions on Russians buying property, as Baltic and Nordic countries continue to take action against Russia's aggression in the region.

    Latvia has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. The country allocates over 3% of its GDP to defense spending, making it one of Europe's top defense spenders according to NATO estimates.