WASHINGTON: US Vice President Joe Biden called Latvian President Andris Berzins on Wednesday in a sign of reassurance amid nervousness on Russia's periphery following its incursion into Crimea.
Both men "expressed their grave concern over Russia's clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity and discussed how best to bring about a peaceful resolution," the White House said in a statement.
"The Vice President reaffirmed the United States' longstanding and continuing commitment to peace and security in the Baltic region."
Latvia, a Soviet socialist republic for 50 years, regained independence after the end of the Cold War and is now a thriving member of the European Union and NATO.
The country, a parliamentary democracy, also has a sizeable minority Russian population. One of Moscow's stated justifications for entering the Crimean peninsula in Ukraine was to ensure the safety of Russian nationals in the area.
Biden's call was the latest effort by the Obama administration to reach out to eastern European nations, as it works through diplomatic channels to de-escalate the standoff in Ukraine.
Comments
Comments are closed.