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President Ilves: Europe and the US remain firm allies

President Ilves: Europe and the US remain firm allies © Robertas Dačkus/Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania

23.08.2016

"Europe and the United States are very close allies, our cooperation is unwavering and our security is inseparable," said President Toomas Hendrik Ilves in Rīga today, where the heads of state of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are meeting with American Vice-President Joseph Biden.

The Estonian head of state remarked that it was symbolic that the meeting was taking place on 23 August – the 77th anniversary of the day on which Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union entered into secret pacts that would rob many countries of their independence, including the three Baltic States.

"We know the price of dictatorship, we know the cost of freedom and we know the value of democracy and the alliances we have entered into with our friends," he said.

President Ilves stated that the EU and the USA are faced with the same dangers, including international terrorism and continued aggression and instability in areas close to EU and NATO borders.

"We can only cope with these dangers by working together, supporting each other and reinforcing our partnership and our relationship as allies on a daily basis," said the Estonian head of state.

In terms of regional security President Ilves underscored the importance of the rotating presence of NATO units in countries on the eastern wing of the alliance and praised the United States for positioning its units in the Baltic States.

"Alongside the decisions taken at the NATO summit in Warsaw, this substantiates the alliance's decisiveness in remaining both visible and credible in guaranteeing the security of all allies," President Ilves remarked, adding that for its part as a responsible ally Estonia would continue to contribute to ensuring security.


Office of the President
Public Relations Department