III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 499 

Celebrating 100 years of diplomatic relations between the United States 

and the Baltic States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 31, 2022 

Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. BOOZMAN, 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. BRAUN, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. 

COONS, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. RUBIO, 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. REED, and Ms. STABENOW) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Celebrating 100 years of diplomatic relations between the 

United States and the Baltic States. 

Whereas the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania 

originally declared their independence in 1918; 

Whereas, in 1920, Soviet Russia signed treaties with Estonia, 

Latvia, and Lithuania recognizing their sovereignty and 

renouncing all territorial claims over each Baltic State in 

perpetuity; 

Whereas the United States established diplomatic relations 

with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania as independent 

countries on July 28, 1922, and the United States and 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 499 IS 

the Baltic States have grown strong as partners for the 

past century; 

Whereas, on August 23, 1939, the Soviet Union and Nazi 

Germany signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which contained a secret protocol dividing Eastern Europe into 

spheres of influence, with the Baltic States ultimately 

being assigned to the Soviet Union, leading soon after to 

the forcible incorporation of the Baltic States into the 

Soviet Union; 

Whereas, following World War II, the Soviet Union forcibly 

occupied the Baltic States, imposing its model of Soviet 

totalitarianism for more than 5 decades; 

Whereas the United States never recognized the illegal occupation of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania by the Soviet 

Union, instead maintaining 100 years of continuous diplomatic relations with the Baltic States; 

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

joined hands in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to form 

a 373-mile human chain across the 3 states known as the 

Baltic Chain of Freedom; 

Whereas, in February 1990, the people of Lithuania participated in the first free election to select a new parliament, 

which promptly voted to restore independence, making 

Lithuania the first occupied Soviet republic to declare 

independence on March 11, 1990, a move subsequently 

followed by Latvia on May 4, 1990, and Estonia on August 20, 1991; 

Whereas, in January 1991, Soviet military forces tried to 

quash the growing independence restoration movement, 

leading to approximately 14 Lithuanian deaths, 6 Latvian deaths, and many injuries; 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 499 IS 

Whereas, in February and March 1991, the people of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia voted overwhelmingly in support of their respective independence restoration referendums, which the United States recognized later that year; 

Whereas the Baltic States helped pave the path for democracy and freedom across Eastern Europe, leading to the 

fall of the Soviet Union; 

Whereas, after the restoration of independence, the economies 

of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania emerged as modern 

market economies leading in technology and financial 

services sectors; 

Whereas Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania continue to demonstrate their commitment to advancing democratic values, peace, and security through their membership and 

active participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union, and the 

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; 

Whereas the Baltic States have been loyal NATO allies, contributing to regional and global security through operations in Afghanistan and leadership in the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Estonia, 

the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Latvia, and the NATO Energy Security Centre 

of Excellence in Lithuania; 

Whereas the Baltic States contribute to the security of the 

Euro-Atlantic area by spending at least 2 percent of 

gross domestic product for defense and to global security 

through determined participation in international allied 

operations and missions; 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 499 IS 

Whereas Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were among the first 

countries to participate in the National Guard State 

Partnership Program with the Maryland, Michigan, and 

Pennsylvania National Guards, respectively, and, since 

1993, have provided additional opportunities to enhance 

National Guard skills and improve interoperability between the United States and Baltic forces; 

Whereas, in 2019, the United States and the Baltic States 

signed the Security Cooperation Roadmaps, outlining 

joint security cooperation priorities for 2019 to 2024; 

Whereas the Baltic States are actively involved in security assistance, promotion of democracy, and protection of 

human rights across Eastern Europe, including in 

Ukraine and Belarus, in the face of aggression and an 

increase of troops in Belarus by the Russian Federation 

and the manipulation of the migrant crisis in Europe by 

the Lukashenko regime; 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has pursued an aggressive disinformation campaign in the Baltic 

States, including intimidation of Western civilians and 

troops stationed in Europe and abroad via hacking, propaganda, and other cyberattacks, and has increased air 

provocations in Eastern Europe; 

Whereas, since the restoration of independence, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have faced considerable aggressive behavior, intimidation, and cyberattacks from the Russian 

Federation and, as a result, have worked to shape total 

defense strategies to counter intervention by the Russian 

Federation; 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•SRES 499 IS 

Whereas, after building trade ties with Taiwan, the Government of Lithuania has faced severe economic and diplomatic coercion from the People’s Republic of China; 

Whereas the Government of the People’s Republic of China 

has brazenly imposed a customs blockade on products 

from Lithuania and imports containing Lithuanian parts, 

with the European Union considering taking the matter 

to the World Trade Organization as a violation of international trade rules; 

Whereas, on December 21, 2021, in a call with Prime Minister of Lithuania Ingrida Simonyte, Secretary of State 

Tony Blinken underscored the ironclad solidarity of the 

relationship of the United States with Lithuania as Lithuania faces geopolitical challenges to regional stability, 

security, and economic prosperity; 

Whereas, on January 5, 2022, at a joint press conference 

with Foreign Minister of Germany Annalena Baerbock, 

Secretary of State Blinken added, ‘‘We have immediate 

concern about the Government of China’s attempts to 

bully Lithuania, a country of fewer than three million 

people. China is pushing European and American companies to stop building products with components made in 

Lithuania or risk losing access to the Chinese market, all 

because Lithuania chose to expand their cooperation with 

Taiwan.’’; 

Whereas, on January 24, 2022, the Secretary of Defense put 

8,500 members of the Armed Forces on high alert for potential deployment to Eastern Europe as part of a NATO 

response force; 

Whereas support for the Baltic States by the United States 

remains a crucial factor for countering such economic 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
6 

•SRES 499 IS 

and diplomatic coercion by the Government of the People’s Republic of China and ensuring security in the Baltic States and complements the efforts of NATO to 

strengthen its deterrence and defense posture, including 

an enhancing its forward presence in the eastern part of 

the NATO Alliance with multinational battlegroups; 

Whereas the Baltic States have been models for democratic 

governance with strong institutions and respect for civil 

liberties and the rule of law, which are cherished shared 

values between the Baltic States and the United States; 

and 

Whereas, since the restoration of independence, the democratic and economic development and progress of the Baltic States has established Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania 

as 3 shining beacons for freedom: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) celebrates 100 years of continuous diplo3 matic relations between the United States and Esto4 nia, Latvia, and Lithuania; 

5 (2) looks forward to continued growth in diplo6 matic relations between the Baltic States and the 

7 United States; 

8 (3) commits to providing continued support for 

9 the Baltic States through economic and security co10 operation, including through the Baltic Security Ini11 tiative, further strengthening transatlantic ties and 

12 regional presence through the North Atlantic Treaty 

13 Organization; 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
7 

•SRES 499 IS 

1 (4) recognizes the courage and resilience of the 

2 people of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in their 

3 fight for freedom and democracy in the face of ag4 gressive behavior by the Russian Federation; 

5 (5) stands in solidarity with Lithuania against 

6 economic and diplomatic coercion by the People’s 

7 Republic of China; and 

8 (6) expresses the wish that the next 100 years 

9 of friendship between the Baltic States and the 

10 United States continue to build on the positive 

11 achievements and progress made since the Baltic 

12 States restored their independence. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS