Sec. 1301. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION ALLIES AND PARTNERS

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## SEC. 1301 SENSE OF CONGRESS ON NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION ALLIES AND PARTNERS It is the sense of Congress as follows: ####

(1)The North Atlantic Treaty Organization

(NATO)remains the strongest and most successful military alliance in the world, founded on a commitment by its members to uphold the principles of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law, and its contributions to the collective defense are indispensable to the security, prosperity, and freedom of its members. ####

(2)The success of NATO is critical to achieving United States national security objectives in Europe and around the world, including deterring Russian aggression, upholding territorial integrity and sovereignty in Europe, addressing strategic competition and mitigating shared security concerns, countering malign efforts to undermine the rules-based international order and disrupt shared values, and fostering international cooperation against collective challenges. ####

(3)The United States reaffirms its ironclad commitment to NATO as the foundation of transatlantic security and to uphold its obligations under the North Atlantic Treaty, including Article 5 of the Treaty, and remains steadfastly committed to upholding and strengthening its defense alliances and partnerships in the European theater. ####

(4)The commitment of NATO allies in response to the invocation of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty following attacks on the United States homeland on September 11, 2001, and during years of counterterrorism, humanitarian, and stabilization operations in Afghanistan has been invaluable, and the sacrifices of NATO allies deserve the highest order of respect and gratitude. ####

(5)The national security challenges posed by the Russian Government against NATO allies and partners are of grave concern to the United States and a top NATO defense priority. Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2014, the Russian Government has not improved its behavior and has, in many aspects, become increasingly belligerent. Aggression against NATO allies and United States partners is unacceptable, and Russia’s willingness to engage in far-reaching, risky actions contrary to the international order poses major risks to United States national security interests that must be met with sustained engagement, investment in credible deterrence, and vigilance. ####

(6)The United States should continue to deepen cooperation on defense issues with non-NATO European partners, bilaterally and as part of the NATO alliance, encourage security sector cooperation between NATO and non-NATO defense partners that complements and strengthens shared security goals, interoperability, and allies’ commitment to Article 3 of the North Atlantic Treaty, build on recent progress in NATO allies achieving defense spending goals agreed to at the 2014 Wales Summit and reaffirmed at the 2016 Warsaw Summit and the 2021 Brussels Summit, and build consensus to plan, organize, and invest in the full range of defense capabilities necessary to deter and defend against potential adversaries. ####

(7)The United States should continue to enhance United States and allied force posture in Europe in order to establish and sustain a credible deterrent against Russian aggression and long-term strategic competition by the Russian Government, including continued robust support for the European Deterrence Initiative and other investments, ongoing use of rotational deployments and robust exercises in the European theater, improved forward-stationing of forces to enhance deterrence and reduce cost, additional planning and efforts to mitigate contested logistics challenges, implementation of key initiatives to enhance readiness, military mobility, and national resilience, and effective investments in multi-service, cyber, information, and air defense efforts to counter modern military challenges. ####

(8)Following the end of the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, it is essential that the United States consider ways to continue the benefits of combined interaction alongside NATO allies and United States partners to continue strengthening interoperability and cooperation. ####

(9)The Black Sea is a strategically significant region to United States interests and to the security of United States allies and partners, especially in light of Russia’s actions in the region and illegal occupation of territory. The United States should continue security cooperation efforts, exercises, and training with regional allies and partners, regional posture enhancements, and support for those allies’ and partners’ pursuit of their own defenses, as well as joint efforts that enhance interoperability and information sharing. ####

(10)Enhancing security and stability in the Western Balkans is a goal that the United States shares with European allies and partners. The United States should continue its efforts to build interoperability and support institutional reforms of the militaries of the Western Balkan nations, including both NATO allies and partners. The United States should also support those nations’ efforts to resist disinformation campaigns, predatory investments, efforts to promote instability, and other means by which Russia and China may seek to influence this region of Europe. ####

(11)Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are model allies and play a critical role in strategic efforts to ensure continued deterrence against aggression by Russia and maintain the collective security of the NATO alliance. The security of the Baltic region is crucial to the security of the NATO alliance. ####

(12)The United States should continue to pursue efforts consistent with the comprehensive, multilateral Baltic Defense Assessment of the military requirements of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania issued in December 2020. Robust support to accomplish United States strategic objectives, including by providing assistance to the Baltic countries through security cooperation referred to as the Baltic Security Initiative pursuant to sections 332 and 333 of title 10, United States Code, should be prioritized in the years to come. Specifically, the continuation of— #####

(A)efforts to enhance interoperability among Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and in support of NATO efforts; #####

(B)infrastructure and other host-country support improvements that will enhance United States and allied military mobility across the region; #####

(C)efforts to improve resilience to hybrid threats and cyber defenses in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania; and #####

(D)support for planning and budgeting efforts of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania that are regionally synchronized.