Durbin, Shaheen Host Lithuanian Minister Of Defense To Discuss Increased Russian Aggression Toward The Baltic Region

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, met with Lithuanian Minister of Defense, Dovile Šakaliene, to discuss an increase in Russian hybrid attacks in the Baltics and across Europe, and the need to maintain allied support for Ukraine and NATO. The meeting comes after President Trump’s shameful outburst toward Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in the Oval Office last Friday.

“My mother’s family originally came from Lithuania—a country that knows Russian tyranny too well,” said Durbin. “As I said to Minister Šakaliene, I was saddened, shocked, and stunned at what happened in the Oval Office last week with President Zelenskyy. During today’s meeting, we agreed that now, more than ever, the U.S. must reaffirm our support for our NATO partners in upholding democratic values and transatlantic security,”

“Lithuania is a vital NATO Ally that has demonstrated leadership in support of Ukraine and countering the Russian threat,” said Shaheen. “During our meeting, I reiterated the bipartisan Senate commitment to the NATO Alliance, including our positioning of U.S. forces on the eastern flank.

Photos of the meeting are available here.

As Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, Durbin has been a vocal supporter of President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine. Last night, Durbin, asked for unanimous consent (UC) to pass a simple resolution he introduced condemning Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children and called on Russia to work with the international community to return all abducted Ukrainian children to their families. Senate Republicans rejected the resolution.

Last week, Durbin introduced the Protecting our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act, legislation that would provide temporary guest status to Ukrainians and their immediate family members who are already in the United States through the “Uniting for Ukraine” parole process. Bill text can be found here.

Durbin also joined Shaheen in leading a simple resolution last week that expresses continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine and condolences for the loss of thousands of lives to Russian aggression; rejects Russia’s attempts to militarily seize sovereign Ukrainian territory; reaffirms U.S. support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine; and states unequivocally that Ukraine must be at the table for negotiations on its future.

Durbin has also championed the creation of the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI), which enhances and strengthens U.S. security cooperation with the Baltics amid Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine and heightened tensions with China. In Fiscal Year 2024, Durbin secured $228 million in defense appropriations funding for the BSI.

In 2022, Durbin traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania, where he received the Aleksandras Stulginskis Star Award—only the second individual and first American to receive this award. It was granted to Durbin for his decades-long support of Lithuanian independence and democracy and his promotion of parliamentary values. He was in Vilnius three years ago on the morning Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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