Seimas marked the significance of the diplomatic relations between the United States of America and the Republic of Lithuania by a Resolution

Press release, 13 July 2022 

By unanimous vote of 113 in favour, the Seimas adopted a Resolution On the Centenary of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Lithuania and the United States of America.

The adopted document underlines the historically crucial role of the United States in Lithuania’s path to statehood, independence and Euro-Atlantic integration as well as the U.S. leadership in addressing global problems. It emphasises that the strategic partnership with the United States has always been, and will remain, one of the top priorities of Lithuania’s foreign policy.

In the Resolution, the Seimas expressed its deepest respect and gratitude to all representatives of politics, business, science, culture and society, especially to the Lithuanian-American community and to emigrants of other nationalities from Lithuania, who have contributed to the development of the bilateral relations between Lithuania and the United States over the last century. It stressed that Lithuania had been and would continue to be a supporter of a strong transatlantic relationship and its indispensability.

‘We must acknowledge this and thank the United States for the survival of our state and for in fact guaranteeing, especially now when Ukraine is waging a terrible war against our common enemy, that we will remain free,’ Emanuel Zingeris, a member of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs, co-initiator of the Resolution, said as he introduced the Resolution.

In the Resolution, the Members of the Seimas call on the public authorities to continue making every effort to ensure that the United States’ focus on Lithuania’s security remains unchanged. They reiterate the need to ensure a permanent presence of American troops in Lithuania, and call on the U.S. Congress to support the Baltic Security Initiative.

The document commends the strong position of the United States on Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine and its comprehensive assistance to Ukraine.

The Resolution invites the European Union and its partner countries to strengthen their friendship with the United States and to share responsibility for the future of the European Union and the Baltic region.

The 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Lithuania and the United States of America will be marked on 28 July 2022. On 26 May 2022, the U.S. Senate adopted a Resolution on Celebrating 100 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Baltic States.

Saulė Eglė Trembo, Chief Specialist, Press Office, Information and Communication Department, tel. +370 5 239 6203, e-mail: [email protected]