Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) joined U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to introduce the Baltic Security Initiative Act to strengthen U.S. security cooperation with the Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – amid Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression in the region. This bipartisan legislation will effectively codify the Department of Defense’s Baltic Security Initiative effort, created in 2020, to deter Russian aggression, strengthen the NATO alliance, and enhance regional planning and cooperation.
“Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are crucial allies on NATO’s eastern flank who continue to be among the alliance’s leading spenders on defense as a share of their GDP,” said Bennet. “Our bipartisan bill will deepen U.S. security cooperation with the Baltics and help deter Putin’s potential aggression on NATO territory.”
“The United States and the Baltic nations share a unified commitment to democratic principles and the free market. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have bolstered the region’s security and stability for decades, and it’s critical for us to stand with our allies in the face of Russian aggression. Our bipartisan bill will strengthen America’s cooperation with the Baltics and ensure the region has the resources they need to deter Putin from encroaching upon NATO territory,” said Grassley.
“Not only do I have strong personal ties to the region, but the Baltic countries are essential NATO partners in upholding democratic values and transatlantic security. Our bill deters Russia from extending Putin’s war into NATO territory, strengthens our partnerships with the Baltics, and enhances their capabilities as critical allies on NATO’s eastern flank. Considering the new Administration’s foreign policy views, we must remain steadfast in the need to strengthen the NATO alliance and in our support for the Baltic States as they work to combat increasing Russian aggression around the region,” said Durbin.
In addition to Bennet, Grassley, and Durbin, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Angus King (I-Vt.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) cosponsored the bill.
The text of the bill is available HERE.