From 25 to 27 March 2024, a United States Congressional Staff delegation is visiting Latvia. The topics discussed with US congressional staffers during the visit were bilateral cooperation between Latvia and the United States, including defence matters, as well as latest foreign policy developments, the security situation in the region, and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The delegation also went to see the Camp Ādaži military base, where they met with US servicemen stationed in Latvia.
In a meeting with the US Congressional staffers, the Under Secretary, Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andžejs Viļumsons, commended the close strategic partnership between Latvia and the United States and expressed gratitude for the unwavering support by the United States for Latvia and the Baltic States, and Ukraine, which is defending itself against Russia’s full-scale aggression. In order to defeat Russia in Ukraine, military and economic support must continue in the long term, Andžejs Viļumsons underlined. It is therefore essential that the support package for Ukraine be approved at the US Congress as soon as possible.
As part of their visit, the US delegation also had meetings with officials at the Saeima (the Latvian Parliament), the President’s Chancery, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Ministry of Defence. The delegation also visited the office of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Riga, and Edge Autonomy, a company producing unmanned aircraft.
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 2024, the United States Congress approved 228 million USD in defence assistance to the three Baltic States to bolster their capabilities in 2024.