The Latvian diplomat said the next U.S. president should stand united with Europe against Russian aggression. | Getty Latvian foreign minister says next U.S. president must combat Russian aggression

NEW YORK — Regardless of who wins this November, the next U.S. president should stand united with Europe against Russian aggression, including Moscow's interference in other countries' elections, Latvia's foreign minister said Monday.

Edgars Rinkēvičs' comments to POLITICO come as Americans face two stark choices in the White House race: Republican Donald Trump, who has spoken in friendly terms of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Democrat Hillary Clinton, who has pledged to get tough on the Kremlin.


In an interview on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Rinkēvičs steadfastly declined to say who he'd prefer win the upcoming election — "The choice of the American people will be made this November," he said. "Whatever that choice is it must be respected."

But he emphasized that U.S. willingness to join Europe in standing up to Russia in recent years through sanctions and other means was a policy that should continue.

"We should understand the kind of values we all share across both sides of the Atlantic are under attack from many actors" including "countries that really want to challenge the current state of the world, the revisionist countries," Rinkēvičs said.

The Latvian diplomat noted that several European countries, including France and Germany, are holding important federal elections next year.

Russia is believed to be quietly supporting far-right parties in some European states, including through financial aid. Kremlin-backed hackers also are suspected of staging digital attacks on the U.S. election infrastructure this year. And Russia's state-supported media clearly favors Trump.

Trump has said that, if he's elected, the U.S. may not come to the military aid of Baltic states (Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia) if they are attacked by Russia if the three small countries have not paid their fair share to NATO.

The Baltics have protested such comments, saying they are increasing their defense spending and pointing out that a common defense is at the heart of the NATO alliance.

The Baltic states worry that Russia, which invaded and annexed a piece of Ukraine in 2014, is trying to re-establish the Soviet sphere of influence, including through manipulation of elections.

"We do see that money is often used in Europe," Rinkēvičs said of the Russia methods. "The same sometimes happens with direct and indirect ways this country also tries to influence our internal political life."