On behalf of the people and government of the United States, I wish to congratulate Lithuania on the 102nd anniversary of your independence.

In 2019, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the 1989 revolutions, including the Baltic Way and the fall of the Berlin Wall, as well as the freedoms we have won together over the past three decades. Last year, representatives of the U.S. Government were proud to participate in a reenactment of the Baltic Way in Washington, DC, organized by the Lithuanian Embassy to the United States, and joined by Estonia, Latvia, and members of our robust Baltic-American diaspora through the Joint Baltic American National Committee. This year we will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Welles Declaration of 1940, an enduring tribute to the unwavering support of the United States for Lithuania’s independence.

Today, Lithuania is a vibrant, flourishing democracy that stands as a powerful symbol of the success and strength of our Transatlantic community and of the power of personal freedom over authoritarianism. Lithuania is one of a select group of NATO Allies that fulfills its pledge to spend two percent of GDP on defense. Lithuania is also one of our most resilient and skilled partners in combating Russian malign influence. We thank Lithuania for your robust contributions to our global security.

You have already achieved much, but we know the best is yet to come. The United States looks forward to continuing to strengthen our partnership with our Ally Lithuania.