Sec. 206. Deepening security and economic ties with Baltic allies
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It is the sense of Congress that— supporting and bolstering the security of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania is in the national security interests of the United States; the Baltic states are critical in countering aggression by the Government of the Russian Federation and maintaining the collective security of the NATO alliance; the United States should continue to support and foster a security partnership with the Baltic states that aims to meet their security needs and provides additional capabilities and tools to help defend against aggression by the Government of the Russian Federation in the region; the United States should encourage the initiative undertaken by the Baltic states to advance the Three Seas Initiative to strengthen transport, energy, and digital infrastructures among eastern Europe countries; there are mutually beneficial opportunities for increased investment and economic expansion between the United States and the Baltic states; and improved economic ties between the United States and the Baltic states will lead to a strengthened strategic partnership.
The Secretary of State shall establish an initiative to deepen and foster security and economic ties with the Baltic states. The initiative established under paragraph
(1)shall have the following goals and objectives: Ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of security assistance to the Baltic states, prioritizing assistance that will bolster defenses against hybrid warfare and improve interoperability with NATO forces. Bolstering United States support for the Baltic region’s physical and energy security needs. Mitigating the impact of economic coercion by the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China on Baltic states and identifying new opportunities for foreign direct investment and United States business ties. Improving high-level engagement between the United States and the Baltic states, with a focus on improving high-level security and economic cooperation. The initiative established under paragraph
(1)shall— develop a comprehensive security assistance strategy to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the Baltic states, in coordination with other security assistance authorities, that takes into account the unique challenges of the proximity of the Baltic states to the Russian Federation and the threat of aggression against the Baltic states from the Government of the Russian Federation; encourage the United States International Development Finance Corporation to identify new opportunities for investment in the Baltic states; send high-level representatives of the Department of State to— the Baltic states not less frequently than twice a year; and major regional fora on physical and energy security, including the Three Seas Initiative Summit and Business Forum and the Baltic Sea Security Conference; convene an annual trade forum, in coordination with the governments of Baltic states, to foster investment opportunities in the Baltic region for United States businesses; and foster dialogue between experts from the United States and from the Baltic states on hybrid warfare, cyber defenses, economic expansion, and foreign direct investment.