III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 759 

Recognizing the importance of the alliance between the United States and 

the Baltic States and expressing support for that alliance, including 

for the Baltic Security Initiative, amidst foreign aggression. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 10, 2024 

Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. GRASSLEY, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. DAINES, Mr. 

BENNET, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MERKLEY, and Ms. DUCKWORTH) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of the alliance between the 

United States and the Baltic States and expressing support for that alliance, including for the Baltic Security 

Initiative, amidst foreign aggression. 

Whereas the Republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘the Baltic States’’) first 

declared independence in 1918, with the United States 

establishing diplomatic relations with the Baltic States on 

July 28, 1922, leading to a strong and unbroken partnership for more than a century; 

Whereas the United States never recognized the occupation 

of the Baltic States by the Soviet Union after World War 


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•SRES 759 IS 

II and maintained continuous diplomatic relations with 

the Baltic States; 

Whereas, in August 1989, approximately 2,000,000 people 

joined hands in the Baltic States to form a 373-mile 

human chain known as the ‘‘Baltic Chain of Freedom’’; 

Whereas Lithuania became the first occupied Soviet republic 

to declare the restoration of independence on March 11, 

1990, a move followed by Latvia on May 4, 1990, and 

Estonia on August 20, 1991; 

Whereas, in January 1991, Soviet military forces tried unsuccessfully to quash the growing independence restoration 

movements of the Baltic States, leading to approximately 

14 Lithuanian deaths, as well as 6 Latvian deaths and 

many injuries; 

Whereas, in February and March 1991, the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian people voted overwhelmingly for 

independence through referendums paving the path for 

democracy and freedom and the fall of the Soviet Union; 

Whereas, since the restoration of independence, the Baltic 

States have served as models of democratic governance 

that share values with the United States, including 

strong institutions, respect for civil liberties and the rule 

of law, and modern market economies; 

Whereas the Baltic States continue to demonstrate their enduring commitment to democratic values, peace, and security through their membership and active participation 

in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (referred to in 

this preamble as ‘‘NATO’’), the European Union, and 

the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; 


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•SRES 759 IS 

Whereas the Baltic States have been loyal NATO allies and 

demonstrated their commitment to transatlantic security 

by exceeding the NATO defense spending goal of not less 

than 2 percent of gross domestic product per year; 

Whereas, since the 2022 Russian full-scale invasion of 

Ukraine, the Baltic States have demonstrated significant 

support for Ukraine by providing between 1.3 and 1.6 

percent of their gross domestic product in military and 

humanitarian aid to Ukraine and welcoming more than 

130,000 Ukrainian refugees; 

Whereas the Baltic States have faced Russian intimidation, 

espionage, and cyberattacks since the restoration of independence, and have created total defense strategies to 

counter aggression by the Russian Federation; 

Whereas the Russian Federation continues to pursue an aggressive disinformation campaign against the Baltic 

States, including intimidation of Western civilians and 

troops stationed in Europe and abroad through hacking, 

propaganda, and other cyberattacks, and has increased 

air provocations across the Baltic States, including disruptions of civilian air traffic; 

Whereas the unilateral removal of buoys on the Narva River 

on the Estonian-Russian border in May 2024 by the Russian Federation was another attempt to provoke a NATO 

ally and illustrates disregard for sovereignty and territorial integrity by the Russian Federation; 

Whereas the Republic of Belarus has embraced the aggression of the Russian Federation by hosting its tactical nuclear weapons and Wagner Group mercenaries, and by inciting insecurity at its border with Lithuania and Poland 

by pushing migrants over the border; 


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•SRES 759 IS 

Whereas Lithuania has faced severe economic and diplomatic 

coercion from the People’s Republic of China after the 

establishment of a trade relationship with Taiwan; 

Whereas the presence of the United States Armed Forces in 

the Baltic States and Poland ensures regional security 

and complements NATO efforts to strengthen its deterrence and defense posture within the eastern flank of 

NATO, including an Enhanced Forward Presence posture in the Baltic States, which host multinational NATO 

battlegroups; and 

Whereas dedicated funding for the Baltic Security Initiative 

since fiscal year 2021 has helped strengthen United 

States security cooperation with the Baltic States as well 

as enhance the national deterrent capabilities of the Baltic States and further develop NATO integration and 

interoperability: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) reaffirms the commitment of the United 

3 States to the security of Estonia, Latvia, and Lith4 uania through the enduring transatlantic participa5 tion of the United States in the North Atlantic 

6 Treaty Organization alliance; 

7 (2) supports continued security assistance for 

8 Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, including through 

9 the Baltic Security Initiative, to further strengthen 

10 transatlantic ties; and 

11 (3) recognizes the contribution of the Estonian, 

12 Latvian, and Lithuanian people to transatlantic seVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:34 Jul 11, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR759.IS SR759

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•SRES 759 IS 

1 curity and defense while facing constant aggression 

2 by the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, 

3 and the People’s Republic of China. 

Æ 


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