Durbin Meets With Lithuanian Ambassador To The U.S.

Durbin Meets With Lithuanian Ambassador To The U.S.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, today met with the new Lithuanian Ambassador to the U.S., Gediminas Varvuolis, to discuss the increase in Russian hybrid attacks in the Baltics and across Europe, as well as the need to maintain allied support for Ukraine and NATO. The meeting comes amid increased Russian incursions into NATO airspace and an ongoing campaign of sabotage and arson in Europe.

"My mother's family came from Lithuania-a country that knows Russian tyranny too well," said Durbin. "In the past few weeks, Russia has brazenly tested NATO's defenses," said Durbin. "Now, more than ever, the United States must reaffirm its support for our NATO partners and its collective security commitment."

A photo of the meeting is available here.

Earlier this month, Durbin sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth criticizing reported Trump Administration's plans to terminate the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI) and Section 333 funding.

In March, Durbin introduced the Baltic Security Initiative Act, bipartisan legislation to effectively codify the BSI effort, which will enhance and strengthen U.S. security cooperation with the Baltics amid an increase of Russian hybrid attacks in the Baltics and across Europe, and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.

Last Congress, Durbin introduced a resolution recognizing the importance of the alliance between the United States and the Baltic States.

In 2022, Durbin traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania, where he received the Aleksandras Stulginskis Star Award-only the second individual and first American to receive this award. It was granted to Durbin for his decades-long support of Lithuanian independence and democracy and his promotion of parliamentary values. He was in Vilnius almost three years ago on the morning Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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