Latvia’s foreign minister is warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin will try to achieve in peace talks what he hasn’t been able to accomplish in his war against Ukraine — weaken the United States and restore control over his smaller neighbor.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russia was not opposed to Europe's involvement in Russia-U.S. peace talks aimed at settling the conflict in Ukraine, but noted that Brussels had long rejected any dialogue with Moscow.

Vladimir Putin claimed to be protecting Russian speakers in Crimea in 2014 and is believed to be ready to make a similar case to invade his country's neighbours where there are large numbers of Russia

Specifically, he picked out Poland, Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia, and Moldova as Putin's potential next conquests should he succeed in Ukraine. Latvia, Estonia, and Moldova were all part of the Soviet Union and Russian Empire. Poland was also within the Russian Empire, while Slovakian people are ethnically Slavic like Russians.