In the spring of 1940, the world's attention was focused on events in Western Europe, as German troops began active hostilities there. In this situation, the Latvian government granted extraordinary powers to the envoy Kārlis Zariņš in London to represent Latvia's interests abroad, in the event that the government in Riga was no longer able to do so due to hostilities.

Simultaneously with Germany's attack on Western European countries, Moscow launched a propaganda campaign against Latvia, accusing it of not respecting the concluded treaties. Concerns about internal security intensified.

On June 15, 1940, the day after German troops entered Paris, incidents occurred in the Abrene district - on Latvia's eastern border. Soviet troops attacked border guards in Maslenki, etc.