From 28 to 31 August 2023, a United States Congressional Staff delegation visited Latvia. In meetings with Latvian officials, U.S. congressional staffers discussed bilateral cooperation between Latvia and the United States, defence issues, and the security situation in the region, including Russia’s war in Ukraine. The delegation also went to see a military base of the National Armed Forces in Lielvārde, where they met with U.S. servicemen stationed in Latvia, as well as visiting a Latvian Naval Forces base.
In a meeting with the U.S. Congressional Staff members, the Head of the Bilateral Relations Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Katarina Plātere, thanked the United States for its unwavering support for the defence of Latvia and the Baltic States region, which is of particular importance in the current geopolitical situation. In a discussion on the security climate in the region, the officials of the two countries highlighted the transatlantic unity and the need to continue comprehensive support to Ukraine.
As part of their visit, the U.S. delegation also had meetings with Latvian officials at the Saeima (The Latvian Parliament), the Cabinet, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Ministry of Defence. The delegation also visited CERT.LV (the Information Security Incident Response Institution), the Baltic Centre of Media Excellence, and LMT, Latvia’s mobile network operator, where they were given a tour of a 5G laboratory.
Background information
Visits by the U.S. Congressional Staff to the Baltic States have been taking place on a regular basis since 2013. They help the United States Congress to explore the security situation on the ground in the Baltic region and to understand what is required for the strengthening of the Baltic States’ security.
Each year, the United States Congress makes an assessment of and assigns funding for the development of the Baltic States’ defence sector under the Baltic Security Initiative. In late 2022, the United States Congress approved 225 million USD in defence assistance to the three Baltic States to bolster their capabilities in 2023.