Members of Parliament from Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have sent a jointly signed letter to Members of the United States (U.S.) Congress, expressing their gratitude to the U.S. Congress for its longstanding and significant support for the security of the Baltic states. The Baltic parliamentarians call on the U.S. Congress to continue allocating funding for the Baltic Security Initiative.
“U.S. support has never been taken for granted— it is valued highly by the people of Latvia. Because of this cooperation, our armed forces have been able to grow and acquire essential and new capabilities,” emphasized Ināra Mūrniece, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who coordinated the drafting of this letter on behalf of Latvia.
In their letter to U.S. congressmen, Baltic parliamentarians highlight the invaluable role of the U.S. Congress in Baltic–U.S. cooperation—in the past, the U.S. did not recognize the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states, and today, the Congress supports U.S. military presence in the Baltic region, including by allocating funding to a special program, the Baltic Security Initiative.
Since 2018, substantial funds have been allocated to the Baltic Security Initiative, helping accelerate the development of national military capabilities of the Baltic states and strengthen NATO’s collective defence and deterrence. Baltic parliamentarians note that over the years, the allocated funding has been an investment in regional security, but has also provided economic returns to U.S. companies, since a significant share of equipment is purchased from American manufacturers.
Parliamentarians also emphasize that the defence contributions of all three Baltic states have long exceeded NATO’s minimum threshold of two percent of the national gross domestic product. By 2026, the national defence contributions by Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia will exceed five percent of their gross domestic product, while also providing the largest per capita military support to Ukraine. The Baltic states will continue strengthening their defence capabilities and national resilience against security threats, as well as enhancing civilian preparedness for emergencies. Furthermore, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia plan to increase their contributions in support of U.S. forces deployed in the region.
The letter notes that the Baltic states have historically stood in solidarity with the U.S. by participating in international missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, supporting Ukraine and Israel, as well as maintaining an active stance against authoritarianism in Belarus and Russia. “Security cooperation with the U.S. remains a strategic priority for all three Baltic states. We hope this enduring partnership will continue to receive strong support in the Congress,” stress the Baltic parliamentarians, affirming their utmost respect and gratitude to the people of the United States and their representatives in Congress.
The letter to U.S. congressmen was signed on behalf of Latvia by Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima; Edvards Smiltēns, Secretary of the Saeima and Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee; Jānis Grasbergs, Deputy Secretary of the Saeima and Member of the European Affairs Committee; Ināra Mūrniece, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee; Irma Kalniņa, Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee; Juris Viļums, Foreign Affairs Committee Secretary; Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee Chair Raimonds Bergmanis and Deputy Chair Andrejs Vilks; National Security Committee Chair Ainars Latkovskis and Deputy Chair Jānis Dombrava; Jānis Vucāns, President of the Baltic Assembly and Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee; and Harijs Rokpelnis, Member of the European Affairs Committee.
Information on the funds allocated by the U.S. Congress to the Baltic Security Initiative:
231 MUSD in 2025. 228 MUSD in 2024, 225 MUSD in 2023, 180 MUSD in 2022, and 168 MUSD in 2021.
Saeima Press Service