The Vice President met today with Lithuanian President Dalia
Grybauskaite, Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis, and Estonian President
Kersti Kaljulaid. The Vice President reaffirmed the enduring U.S.
commitment to the security of the Baltic states and to the collective
defense of NATO Allies under Article 5. The leaders agreed that NATO
must continue to transform to counter threats such as terrorism and
hybrid warfare, and the Vice President applauded the Baltic states'
concrete plans to meet or exceed defense spending at 2 percent of GDP.
The leaders expressed concern over the ongoing violence in eastern
Ukraine and underscored the need for progress toward the full
implementation of the Minsk agreements to bring a peaceful resolution to
the conflict.
