Morning opening: Latvia investigates drones 'from Russia' after overnight airspace violations
Latvia is conducting an investigation into two drones that entered its airspace from Russian territory overnight and crashed in the eastern part of the country near an unoccupied oil storage facility.
Four empty oil tanks sustained damage, with minor smouldering reported in one of the tanks. The local public broadcaster captured footage of a drone flying in the area on their camera.
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa convened a crisis management meeting scheduled for 10am local time. She stated she was “in constant communication” with relevant ministers and state institutions.
“After the incident concludes, I expect reports from the responsible ministers on what happened,”
The investigation remains in its early stages, with Defence Minister Andris Sprūds suggesting the drones might have been Ukrainian units that lost their way due to signal jamming.
This is not the first instance of a Ukrainian drone, targeting Russian oil terminals, inadvertently entering a neighbouring NATO country’s airspace, with similar incidents reported in Estonia and Lithuania.
The Latvian army noted,
“As long as Russia’s aggression in Ukraine continues, the recurrence of such incidents when a foreign unmanned aircraft enters or approaches Latvian airspace is possible.”
The air warning in Latvia has now been lifted, but heightened vigilance remains in place.
Other European developments
In other news, attention is on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to the Vatican to meet Pope Leo amid escalating tensions between US President Donald Trump and the pontiff. Pope Leo, who will mark one year in office tomorrow, is also scheduled to meet Poland’s Donald Tusk.
Meanwhile, Hungary’s incoming Prime Minister Péter Magyar is expected nearby to meet Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, formerly a close ally of Magyar’s arch-rival Viktor Orbán.
Developments are also anticipated in Bulgaria, where Rumen Radev is likely to be asked to form the next government. Additionally, ongoing monitoring continues of the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that has attracted global public attention.
It is Thursday, 7 May 2026. Jakub Krupa reporting for Europe Live.
Latvian Prime Minister’s update after crisis meeting
Flanked by senior police and army officials, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa provided a brief update following this morning’s crisis cabinet meeting in Riga.
She indicated there is still no definitive information on who directed the drones reported in Latvian airspace, and investigations continue.
Siliņa emphasized that the incident is a consequence of Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine and stressed the need for Latvia to remain prepared for similar situations as it continues to support Ukraine.
She also cautioned against any disinformation attempts from Russia in response to the incident.
Additionally, Siliņa addressed practical concerns regarding the performance of Latvia’s emergency alert system during the incident.
European Parliament trade deal progress
The European Parliament announced it will work “expeditiously” to ensure both the “spirit and the letter” of the EU’s trade deal with the United States are fulfilled, following unsuccessful ratification talks with member states the previous evening.
No agreement is expected before 19 May, when talks with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will resume.
The timing of the talks risks provoking US President Donald Trump, who recently stated he would increase car tariffs from 15% to 25% due to delays by the EU in implementing its side of the Turnberry deal.
The parliamentary delegation involved in the so-called “trilogue” talks, which also included the European Commission, was led by MEP Bernd Lange, chair of the trade committee.
“We have just concluded a constructive second trilogue during which we made good progress on the issue of the safeguard mechanism and the review and evaluation of the main regulation, but there is still some way to go. We will continue to work expeditiously and responsibly on the two legislative proposals to ensure that the letter and the spirit of the Turnberry Deal are honoured, in full respect of our democratic norms, procedures and timelines. The next trilogue will take place on 19 May in Strasbourg. We remain more committed than ever to advance and defend Parliament’s mandate so as to provide additional guarantees that will benefit citizens and companies in both the EU and the US.”
The 19 May date for the next talks is viewed positively, as Lange’s team had anticipated the next meeting could be delayed until June.
Lange’s committee was instrumental in negotiating the deal reached at Trump’s golf course last July.
Ongoing updates expected
Further information on the Latvian drone incident is anticipated shortly, as the government is expected to provide updates following this morning’s emergency cabinet meeting.
Notably, the crash site of the second drone reported within Latvian airspace remains undisclosed, and further details are awaited.
