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Relations with the USA

Relations with the USA

On 28 July 1922, the United States recognized Lithuania de jure.
Voldemaras Vytautas Čarneckis served as the first Lithuanian envoy.
The United States never recognized the forcible incorporation of Lithuania into the Soviet Union.
On 2 September 1991, the U.S.А. recognized the restoration of Lithuania’s independence.
On 6 September 1991, Lithuania and the United States resumed diplomatic relations.
From 1991 to 1993, Stasys Lozoraitis served as the first Ambassador of Lithuanian to the U.S. after the re-establishment of independence.

Lithuania and the United States established formal diplomatic relations on July 28, 1922.

During the decades of Soviet occupation of Lithuania between 1939 and 1991, the US Government never recognized legitimacy of the forceful incorporation of the Republic of Lithuania and the other Baltic States into the Soviet Union. The US Administration’s consistent policy of non-recognition of Soviet occupation enabled the Lithuanian diplomatic representation to retain the status of the Lithuanian Legation to the United States. Once Lithuania regained its independence, the Legation continued its activities as the Embassy of the independent Republic of Lithuania.

Lithuania has greatly benefited from the programs of the US governmental and non-governmental organizations which offered generous assistance in strengthening the young institutions of Lithuania’s democratic government, society and its emerging free-market economy.

The Charter of Partnership Between the Baltic States and the United States of America signed on January 16, 1998 in Washington, D.C. played a key role during the accession of Lithuania to NATO. When NATO membership of Lithuania and two other Baltic states took effect in March 2004, the objective of the US-Baltic Partnership Charter was achieved. Therefore, new forms of cooperation and regional initiatives developed within the Baltic Charter, such as Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe (e-PINE).

Today, Lithuania is a member of NATO and the EU and a strong supporter and active participant of the transatlantic partnership. It supports close cooperation between the US and EU. The alliance between Europe and North America is the cornerstone of its security and prosperity.

Lithuania became a member of the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) in November of 2008. This allows Lithuanian citizens to travel on tourism or business trips to the United States without visas.

The Summit of the Baltic countries and the United States took place on April 3, 2018, in Washington, DC. The Summit was also attended by U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, and Acting Secretary of State John J. Sullivan. Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė together with Latvian and Estonian leaders and U.S. President Donald Trump adopted a joint political declaration reaffirming the ironclad commitment of all four countries to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, which defines the core principle of NATO's defense: All for one, one for all. The United States committed to continue the periodic deployment of forces to the Baltic States. It was also agreed to explore new ideas and solutions to air defense, bilaterally and in NATO, and to enhance deterrence across the region.

A Declaration to Celebrate 100 Years of Independence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and Renewed Partnership can be found here https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/declaration-celebrate-100-years-independence-estonia-latvia-lithuania-renewed-partnership/