The former mayor of Ventspils and now a deputy of the Ventspils City Council, Aivars Lembergs, stated in an interview with TV-24 that "there is only one country in the world that can protect Latvia - the USA." A. Lembergs lamented that the ruling politicians in the country, while recognizing the importance of the USA and calling it our strategic partner, did not come to its aid when it was needed. "When the United States asked its allies, including Latvia, to support it in the Persian Gulf, what did Latvia do? It showed a gesture of disrespect! So when we need help from the USA, we are strategic partners, but when the USA needs help, we are no longer partners?! Is this smart politics?!" Aivars Lembergs lamented on the air of TV-24.