From the outside, diplomacy can look like suits, receptions, and carefully chosen words. Latvian diplomat Artūrs Zaķis takes us behind the scenes: the patience it demands, the relationships built one conversation at a time, and the sacrifices diplomats and their families make. In this episode of The Butterfly Effect, we follow Artūrs’s journey from a child who loved encyclopedias to postings in Washington, D.C., London, and Latvia’s mission to the United Nations. We talk about Ukraine, why international cooperation matters so deeply to Latvia, and whether multilateralism can endure.
In our conversation, Artūrs takes us beyond the formal receptions to talk about the patience, relationships, and sacrifices the work demands. We also explore why international cooperation matters, why he believes countries must keep talking even in times of conflict, and how kindness can create a ripple effect of its own, as Artūrs explains: “Before and after conflict, there’s always diplomacy.”
This is Artūrs’s Butterfly Effect:
You can also listen to our conversation here:
MORE ABOUT ARTŪRS:
Artūrs Zaķis is a Latvian career diplomat whose curiosity about the world began with childhood encyclopedias and newspapers. A scholarship took him to St. Lawrence University in New York, where he graduated in 2010; he later completed the Fletcher School’s Global Master of Arts Program at Tufts University. His diplomatic postings have taken him to Washington, D.C., London, and Latvia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, which he joined as spokesperson in 2025.
