Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland share a similar historical experience of aggression and severe oppression by revisionist totalitarian regimes during many decades of the 20th century. Due to our common past, we have developed a similar understanding of potential threats and the determination to strengthen our security and protect our independence and territorial integrity. During the last decades, we have developed close and successful cooperation based on a like-minded approach to many issues on the regional and international agenda, especially foreign and security policy, energy independence, connectivity and transport infrastructure.

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland share a close vision on the actions necessary to deter and defend against security threats in the region.  Together we have elaborated initiatives aimed at fighting against hybrid threats, ensuring deterrence and defence, strengthening border security, as well as supporting Ukraine that have later been successfully implemented in various forms and frameworks including the European Union, NATO and the United Nations.

We reiterate the high importance of continuing political, military, financial support and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.  Cooperation within NATO, with an irreplaceable role of the close transatlantic bond, is the cornerstone of our security.

While being member states of the EU and NATO, we acknowledge the potential to further intensify our cooperation for the sake of mutual benefit. Cooperation between our countries should be developed on a political and practical level to enhance our efforts to strengthen collective deterrence and resilience and promote economic growth and prosperity of the region and beyond.  We will continue and enhance our close coordination at the level of Foreign Ministers.

 

Signed in Riga, on January 31, 2023, in four copies in English.

 

 

Urmas Reinsalu

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia

 

Edgars Rinkēvičs

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia

 

Gabrielius Landsbergis

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania

 

Zbigniew Rau

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland