The defence minister of the Republic of Latvia () is the head of the Ministry of Defence, who is charged with the political leadership of the Latvian National Armed Forces. The position was re-established in November 1991 following the declaration on the restoration of the country's independence from the USSR.
Since 28 May 2026, the position has been held by Raivis Melnis.
From 1918 to 1922 the officeholder's title was Minister of Protection (Apsardzības ministrs), and from 1922 to 1940 — Minister of War (Kaŗa ministrs).
List of ministers (since 1991) Name PortraitTerm of office Political partyPrime Minister Tālavs Jundzis 19 November 19913 August 1993 Popular Front of Latvia Ivars Godmanis Valdis Pavlovskis 3 August 199319 September 1994 Latvian Way Valdis Birkavs Jānis Arveds Trapāns 19 September 199423 May 1995 Independent Māris Gailis Andrejs Krastiņš 21 December 199512 May 1997 LNNKAndris Šķēle Tālavs Jundzis6 June 199727 October 1998KDS Guntars Krasts Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis26 November 19989 March 2004TB/LNNK Vilis Krištopans Andris Šķēle Andris Bērziņš Einars Repše Atis Slakteris 9 March 20042 December 2004 People's Party Indulis Emsis Einars Repše 2 December 200423 December 2005 New Era PartyAigars Kalvītis Linda Mūrniece 5 January 20067 April 2006 New Era Party Atis Slakteris 8 April 200620 December 2007 People's Party Vinets Veldre 20 December 200712 March 2009 People's Party Ivars Godmanis Imants Lieģis 12 March 20093 November 2010 Civic UnionValdis Dombrovskis Artis Pabriks 3 November 201022 January 2014 Unity Raimonds Vējonis 22 January 20147 July 2015 Union of Greens and Farmers Laimdota Straujuma Raimonds Bergmanis8 July 201523 January 2019Union of Greens and Farmers Laimdota Straujuma Māris Kučinskis Artis Pabriks 23 January 201914 December 2022 Development/For!Krišjānis Kariņš Ināra Mūrniece 14 December 202215 September 2023 National Alliance Andris Sprūds 15 September 202310 May 2026 The Progressives Evika Siliņa Raivis Melnis 28 May 2026present Independent Andris Kulbergs
See also Ministry of Defence (Latvia) Latvian National Armed Forces