The following is the Congressional Research Service report for September 29, 2022, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania: US-Baltic Background and Relations.
From the report
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, often referred to as the Baltic states, are democracies and close allies of the US. America’s strong relationships with these three states are rooted in history. The United States never recognized the forced incorporation of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union in 1940, and US officials applauded the restoration of their independence in 1991. Congress backed these policies on a bipartisan basis. The United States supported the accession of the Baltic states to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) in 2004. Especially since Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014, the potential threats that Russia has posed to the Baltic states have been a primary driver of increased US and congressional interest in the region.
The renewed Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has heightened US and NATO concerns about the potential threat of Russian military action against the Baltic states. The Baltic states have supported Ukraine, including providing military assistance and imposing sanctions against Russia that go beyond those adopted by the EU. The Baltic states have been trying to develop their military capabilities, but their armed forces remain relatively small and their capabilities limited. On the same subject : US warships pass through the Taiwan Strait; China says troops on ‘high alert’. Consequently, the defense planning of the Baltic states largely depends on their NATO membership. The Baltic states meet NATO’s goal that member states spend at least 2% of gross domestic product on defense.
Defense Cooperation and Security Assistance
The United States and the Baltic states cooperate closely on defense and security issues in order to develop the capacity to deter and resist potential Russian aggression. In fiscal year 2021 and fiscal year 2022 combined, Congress appropriated nearly $349 million in security assistance funds from the US Department of Defense to the Baltic states through the Baltic Security Initiative.
Under the US European Deterrence Initiative (EDI), launched in 2014, the US has enhanced its military presence in Central and Eastern Europe, with rotating US forces conducting training and exercises in the states. baltics The United States has stationed additional personnel and capabilities in the Baltic states since February 2022. NATO has also helped bolster the security of the Baltic states. In 2016, the allies agreed to deploy enhanced forward presence multinational battle groups in the Baltic states. NATO allies have deployed additional personnel to these battle groups since February 2022. Baltic leaders have advocated further enhancements to US and NATO deployments.
Some observers have expressed concern that Russia could use ethnic Russian minorities in the Baltic states as a pretext to fabricate a crisis. Many ethnic Russians in the Baltic states traditionally get their news from Russian media sources, which could make those communities a prime target for disinformation and propaganda. The Baltic states suspended many Russian-based TV channels following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Cyber attacks are another potential hybrid threat; Addressing potential vulnerabilities regarding cybersecurity is one of the top priorities for the Baltic states.
The Baltic states have taken steps to end energy dependence on Russia, including through a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Lithuania and new gas pipeline interconnections with their European neighbors. Lithuania ended imports of Russian gas in April 2022, and Estonia and Latvia plan to do the same by the end of 2022.
A variety of factors have contributed to the Baltic states developing a skeptical view of China in recent years. In 2021 (Lithuania) and 2022 (Estonia and Latvia), the Baltic states left the 17+1, a forum China launched to deepen cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries. Tensions between Lithuania and China are especially acute as China recently launched a de facto trade embargo against Lithuania due to Lithuania’s expanded relations with Taiwan.
