Eurasia And Eme Subcommittee on Europe

U.S. Policy Toward the Baltic States Eurasia And Eme Subcommittee on Europe

American support helped Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania reestablish their independence after communism collapsed in the Soviet Union. The U. S. stood by Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in the past, and they can be confident that we will support them in the future. The citizens of the Baltics, like citizens in the Eastern Europe, are not pieces on a board for foreign powers to manipulate. The Baltic nations were permitted to join NATO, which has positioned troops that are part of a hostile military alliance on Russia's border, a potential threat from Russia's perspective. It behooves the U. S. and fellow NATO members to act responsibly and to recognize that Russia is a powerful nation, whose leaders make decisions based on their country's security and national interests. Since 2014, there have been numerous NATO exercises in the Baltics, NATO military exercises within a relatively short distance from St. Petersburg and Moscow, directly on the Russian border. The question remains: Has Russia stepped over the bounds of acceptable behavior or has the U. S. overreacted? A strong U. S. policy should not be confused with a confrontational policy. What is the goal of peace through strength? It is not just strength. It is also peace.