The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania,

having regard to the fact that 28 July 2022 will mark the centenary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Lithuania and the United States of America,

noting that on 26 May 2022 the Senate of the United States passed a resolution celebrating 100 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Baltic States,

stressing that, historically, the role of the United States in Lithuania's path towards statehood, independence and Euro-Atlantic integration has been crucial,

emphasising that since the restoration of Lithuania’s independence, the strategic partnership with the United States have been and will always remain one of the most important priorities of Lithuania’s foreign policy,

recalling Lithuania’s gratitude to the United States for the five decades of non-recognition of the forced incorporation of the Baltic States into the Soviet Union, which served as a message to the whole world that law could not be acquired by force, for the continuous observance of the Captive Nations Week, for the consistent support for Lithuania’s independence and sovereignty and for the contribution to the strengthening of national security, which has substantially contributed to the creation of a secure and prosperous Lithuania,

pointing out that the spirit of cooperation between Lithuania and the United States nurtured over a century is more necessary than ever in the context of today’s geopolitical and security challenges,

underlining the leadership of the United States in addressing global challenges,

expresses its deepest respect and gratitude to all representatives of politics, business, science, culture and society, especially the Lithuanian American community and emigrants of other nationalities from Lithuania who have contributed to the development of bilateral relations between Lithuania and the United States over the last century;

notes that the United States was an indispensable pillar of Lithuania’s statehood during the most difficult periods of history;

welcomes the strategic partnership between Lithuania and the United States, particularly in the area of security and defence, when it is essential to ensure the country’s security in the face of threats posed by Russia’s war in Ukraine;

stresses that Lithuania has been and will continue to be a supporter of a strong transatlantic relationship and its indispensability as a guarantee of the country’s security and, in the circumstances of Russia’s war in Ukraine, a condition for its survival;

urges state authorities to continue their consistent efforts to ensure that the U.S. focus on Lithuania’s security remains unchanged and to seek new impetus for its strengthening and, accordingly, to seek the review of the Charter of Partnership Among the United States and the Baltic States;

encourages the United States Congress to support the Baltic Security Initiative aimed at maintaining long-term and consistent U.S. support for the development of defence capabilities and military preparedness of the Baltic States;

welcomes the active cooperation between the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the U.S. Pennsylvania Army National Guard under the State Partnership Program;

reiterates the need for a permanent presence of U.S. troops in Lithuania as the strongest deterrent to Russia and as a security guarantee not only for the Baltic region but also for the entire Euro-Atlantic area;

appreciates the firm stance of the United States on Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine and its comprehensive assistance to Ukraine;

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

Speaker of the Seimas Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen