JBANC Baltics

Joint Baltic American National Committee, Inc. (JBANC)

[JBANC Baltics @JBANCchatter]

JBANC Statement on Congressional Passage of BSI and FMF Funding

The Joint Baltic American National Committee (JBANC) welcomes the passage on February 3 of the final Defense Appropriations bill, which provides $200 million in funding for the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI), as well as the final State and Foreign Operations bill, which allocates $10 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to each Baltic state.

The BSI strengthens the defensive capabilities of the Baltic states by facilitating the transfer of U.S. defense articles to the region. The Baltic states have demonstrated their own commitment to security by spending over five percent of GDP on defense and by providing matching funds for defense articles procured through the BSI.

JBANC thanks our champions in the United States Congress, including the leadership of the House Baltic Caucus—Representatives Don Bacon and Salud Carbajal—as well as members of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, including Senator Dick Durbin and Senator Chuck Grassley. We also extend our gratitude to Representatives Austin Scott and Wesley Bell for speaking on the House floor in support of the BSI.

Finally, we thank all of our grassroots advocates who traveled to Washington, participated in virtual meetings, or wrote letters to their congressional offices. Advocacy is not possible without the strength and dedication of our Baltic American communities.

[UNIS @UNISdirect]

PROTECTING UKRAINE REQUIRES ACTION!

The urgent need for additional security assistance to protect civilians and critical infrastructure in Ukraine, as well as decisive actions to stymie russia’s economic capacity to produce weaponry used against Ukraine, is of utmost importance.

[JBANC Baltics @JBANCchatter]

Weapons are one thing, but if war breaks out, Europe’s best resource is its people | Elisabeth Braw https://t.co/Dv2wy7RjzC

[Anton Gerashchenko @Gerashchenko_en]

An explosion is reported at a weapons plant in Tula, Russia.

Local channels report a fire at the 'A+A' arms and ammunition manufacturing facility.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

A major fire has broken out at the St. Petersburg oil terminal following a Ukrainian drone strike.

The facility is the largest oil transshipment complex in northwestern Russia.

This comes as the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is taking place in the city, with Vladimir Putin expected to attend.

[JBANC Baltics @JBANCchatter]

Thank you, @SenatorDurbin, for your enduring support and leadership. It was great to see you there.

[Senator Dick Durbin @SenatorDurbin]

As we see in Ukraine, Russian aggression remains a threat today, including to the Baltic states. Good to speak yesterday at the 30th Biennial Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies Conference on the @UofIllinois campus about this critical alliance & friendship.

[ERR News @errnews]

Spring Storm commander: EDF handed several people over to police during the excercise

#Estonia https://t.co/fxBEc75TFa

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

More than 500 personnel of the State Emergency Service have been involved in dealing with the aftermath of Russia’s overnight attack on our cities and communities. The main strike was on Kyiv, where dozens of residential buildings and other purely civilian infrastructure were damaged again. Tragically, four people have been reported killed. My condolences to all their families and loved ones. At this moment, 38 people are in hospitals in the capital, and all of them are receiving the necessary care.

In Dnipro, a search and rescue operation is ongoing at the site of a four-story apartment building. Part of the building was essentially demolished. Nine people were killed in this attack, including a child. Thirty-five people were injured in the city. The fate of six more people remains unknown. The search for them will continue for as long as necessary.

The Russians also struck energy facilities in the Kharkiv region and critical infrastructure in Kharkiv. Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Khmelnytskyi regions also came under attack.

In total, overnight Russia launched 656 attack drones and 73 missiles of various types at our people – ballistic, cruise, and anti-ship missiles. A large-scale attack and an absolutely clear statement from Russia: if Ukraine is not protected from ballistic and other missile strikes, these attacks will continue. Europe needs its own anti-ballistic defense so that this war can finally be brought to an end. And assistance from the United States in supplying missiles for Patriot systems is absolutely necessary. We are counting on the support of our partners and on effective responses to today’s attack.

And I thank all Ukrainian men and women for not ignoring air raid alerts.

Glory to Ukraine!

[Alex Raufoglu @ralexdc]

'@SenRubenGallego: “Ukraine is winning this war. Ukraine will win this war, and Ukraine needs to win this war—not just for its people, for its culture, for existence, but for the freedom-loving countries of the world, and for the United States"

👇
https://t.co/lscJnGl6H7

[Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen]

🇱🇻 First phone call with Prime Minister @AndrisKulbergs.

Hybrid threats faced by the Baltic states are urgent.

So we got to work immediately.

We discussed Latvia’s €3.5 bn SAFE plan and its contribution to our European flagship defence projects.

Let’s sign it soon!

[Jim Sciutto @jimsciutto]

Not coincidentally, this attack is underway shortly after the U.S. delayed delivery of air defense missiles to Ukraine and after Zelensky wrote an urgent appeal to Trump writing, "I ask for your help in protecting Ukraine's skies from Russian missiles."

[Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ @RepDonBacon]

Congress can no longer wait on the Administration to act. That’s why we will vote this week on military aid to Ukraine & tough sanctions on Russia. America must have moral clarity in regard to Putin’s invasion and murdering civilians. 70% of Americans want a stronger response.

[Daniel Fried @AmbDanFried]

The Trump administration plans to withdraw troops from Europe as if it were 1995 & Russia were benign. https://t.co/ofItVAooo6

[JBANC Baltics @JBANCchatter]

Ukrainian Drone Operator Who Helped Demolish NATO Troops in Estonia a Year Ago Returns to Find Big Improvements - Ago Raudsepp https://t.co/glkzGsqgza @AgoRaudsepp

[Embassy of Lithuania in DC | #StandWithUkraine @LTembassyUS]

🇱🇹 Ambassador @varvuolis participated in the 30th Biennial Conference of the @balticstudies at @UofIllinois last weekend. In a panel discussion, 🇱🇹🇱🇻🇪🇪 ambassadors discussed regional security, NATO, support for 🇺🇦, transatlantic relations & the important role of Baltic diasporas.

[Leopold Leander 🇩🇪🇪🇪 @keineristherter]

@Presidentspank1 Dass er nicht mehr antritt stimmt. Hätte ich dazuschreiben sollen.

Dennoch bauen noch andere neben ihm beispielsweise den @JBANCchatter auf.

Was das Verschwinden der Transatlantiker angeht bin ich weniger pessimistisch.

[JBANC Baltics @JBANCchatter]

Spring Storm 26: NATO Prepares for Drone War with russia https://t.co/YvwTVgQaIF
@jillrussia @TheWilsonCenter

#SpringStorm26
#Kevadtorm26

[Jill Dougherty @jillrussia]

Lithuania Says It Broke Up Russian Sabotage and Murder Plots https://t.co/O65ldShvXH via @NYTimes

[JBANC Baltics @JBANCchatter]

Estonians' will to defend the country remains high, cyberattacks seen as a threat
https://t.co/MevW5jH2kP @errnews

[Latvian MFA 🇱🇻 | #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 @Latvian_MFA]

Today is International Children's Day — a powerful reminder that every child deserves safety, and a future guided by hope.

But in Ukraine 🇺🇦, the day is filled with sorrow. Thousands of children abducted by Russia must be brought home.

Every child deserves to be with their family. Bring kids back. #BringKidsBack

@LV_Ukraine | @UKRinLatvia | @MFA_Ukraine | @UKRinUN | @LatviaUN_NY | @BringKidsBackUA

[Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ @RepDonBacon]

I met with another great friend, the Estonian Defense Minister, Hanno Pevkur. U.S. presence is vital for deterrence & we need to expand weapons production capacity greatly. Russia is struggling in Ukraine & their desperation is becoming clearer every day.