Latvia Takes Over UN Security Council Presidency for the First Time

Latvia has taken the chair of the UN Security Council

For the first time in its history, Latvia will hold the presidency of the UN Security Council in November 2026. This was announced on 1 November by the country’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Sanita Pavluta-Deslandes. According to her, particular attention will be paid to the situation in Ukraine.

Photo: Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images

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Throughout the month, both formal and informal meetings of the Security Council will be held under Latvia’s presidency. Latvia is a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. It has been elected for the period 2026–2027.

This is a one-month presidency of the Security Council, which is rotated among member states in alphabetical order according to the English alphabet; consequently, Latvia’s predecessors in this role were three European countries that succeeded one another: Denmark, France and Greece.

As Pavluta-Deslandes noted, Riga intends to make every effort to ensure that the conflict in Ukraine remains at the centre of the Security Council’s attention. The presidency, she said, will give Latvia the opportunity to demonstrate its position and strengthen the country’s security, including through support for Ukraine.

Furthermore, Latvia plans to focus on the challenges and opportunities that modern technologies present for international security.

The Security Council presidency is, first and foremost, a procedural role, but such periods often take on political significance as well.

This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.

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