Durbin, Grassley Baltic Foreign Ministers To Discuss Increased Russian Aggresion
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Co-Chairs of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, met today with Baltic Foreign Ministers and their ambassadors. During the meeting, they discussed the increase in Russian hybrid attacks in the Baltics and across Europe, and the need to maintain allied support for Ukraine and NATO. The meeting comes not long after Finland seized a Russian shadow fleet ship suspected of destroying an energy cable linking Estonia and Finland, and growing evidence of Russian arson, assassination, malign cyber activities, and sabotage on NATO soil. In addition to Durbin and Grassley, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) also attended.
The Senators met with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys and Ambassador Audra Plepyte; Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže and Ambassador Elita Kuzma; and Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and Ambassador Kristjan Prikk.
“Not only do I have strong personal ties to the region, but the Baltic countries are essential NATO partners in upholding democratic values and transatlantic security,” said Durbin. “The nations whose foreign ministers we met with today are among Ukraine’s staunchest supporters—and the United States must continue to do its part to stand alongside them. Considering the new Administration’s foreign policy views, we must remain steadfast in the need to strengthen the NATO alliance and in our support for the Baltic States as they work to combat increasing Russian aggression around the region.”
“The Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania kept the flame of liberty alive during 50 years of Soviet occupation. Now, they stand united as global leaders helping to combat foreign aggression and authoritarianism,” Grassley said. “As Co-Chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, I was proud to welcome the Baltic Ministers of Foreign Affairs to Capitol Hill and I look forward to our nations’ continued partnership.”
Photos of the meeting are available here.
Last Congress, Durbin and Grassley introduced a resolution recognizing the importance of the alliance between the United States and the Baltic States.
Over the years, Durbin and Grassley have introduced the Baltic Security Initiative Act, bipartisan and bicameral legislation to codify the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI), which enhances and strengthens U.S. security cooperation with the Baltics amid Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine and heightened tensions with China. In Fiscal Year 2024, Durbin secured $228 million in defense appropriations funding for the BSI.
In 2022, Durbin traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania, where he received the Aleksandras Stulginskis Star Award—only the second individual and first American to receive this award. It was granted to Durbin for his decades-long support of Lithuanian independence and democracy and his promotion of parliamentary values. He was in Vilnius almost three years ago on the morning Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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