WASHINGTON -- With US and global attention divided among multiple geopolitical theaters, a bill focused on the security of NATO's northeast flank, the Baltic states, has advanced in the House of Representatives.
Last week, the House Foreign Affairs Committee voted 41-3 to advance the Baltic Security Assessment Act, a bill whose lead sponsor is Representative Wesley Bell, a Democrat from Missouri.
The bipartisan measure is designed to ensure the United States has a clear-eyed understanding of "emerging military, cyber, hybrid, and political threats" facing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and to strengthen NATO's collective defense at a tense time.
In an interview with RFE/RL on April 28, Bell discussed the role of NATO's eastern flank in checking Russian President Vladimir Putin's ambitions, how the war in Ukraine shapes the region's long-term security, the implications of Russian-Iran cooperation, and why he believes the United States must stand with its allies.
RFE/RL: In practical terms, how does your legislation on Baltic security change the security calculus for those living on NATO's eastern edge who are watching the front lines in Ukraine with growing concern?
Representative Wesley Bell: From a big-picture standpoint, it's important that we stand with our allies who stand with us, and it's important that we are reliable partners to our reliable partners. This bill requires our State Department, in coordination with the Department of Defense, to deliver a comprehensive report to Congress within 180 days. This report will assess military, cyber, hybrid, and political threats facing the Baltic region.
The report aims to identify actions to strengthen US-Baltic defense cooperation, which is so important -- not only to our Baltic friends, but also to our national security. These are areas where we need to step up.
RFE/RL: Legislation often follows a shift in the threat environment. What specific warning signs or intelligence trends made the Baltic Security Assessment Act an urgent priority for you right now?
Bell: I don't know if it's so much about warning signs as it is about the need to ensure that we recognize why we've been able to avoid expanded conflicts for the last 80 years or so. NATO is a big part of that. Our NATO allies and partners, including those in the Baltic region, are key not only to our national security, but to international security as well.
It's important for us to lean into our alliances, to stand with our allies, and to demonstrate how important these relationships are, because our actions do matter.
RFE/RL: A 41-3 committee vote is a rare display of bipartisanship in today's Washington. What does this overwhelming consensus signal to the Kremlin about the US commitment to the region?
Bell: It's important that when we look at our common adversaries -- Putin in Russia -- and the conflict we're seeing in Ukraine, it's clear that Ukraine is on the front lines of Putin's broader goals.
If you look at a map, the Baltic region -- Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania -- is key to our defense, our pushback, and our efforts to challenge his aims. So it's important that we stand with our allies who stand with us, and that we continue to be the reliable partners we should be.
As we move forward, we must send a clear message, not only to our allies but also to our adversaries, that in the face of shared challenges it's essential that we stand with our partners.
RFE/RL: People in that part of the world have been dealing with cyberattacks, GPS disruption, and disinformation for a long time. How does this bill empower the US to move beyond traditional military aid and actually counter these sophisticated hybrid threats?
Bell: That's exactly what this legislation seeks to address. We have to recognize that the challenges are not limited to the traditional battlefield.
When we think about cyberthreats, hybrid threats, and nonmilitary tactics such as propaganda and other methods used by countries like Russia and even China, we need to invest in and diversify our infrastructure to ensure we are meeting these diverse challenges.
It's important that we understand the unique threats our adversaries are deploying, whether in cyberspace, through hybrid tactics, or via nonmilitary political efforts like disinformation.
We must confront these threats with seriousness and clarity, clear-eyed about what we face, so that we are fully prepared. Many of the challenges we face extend far beyond the traditional battlefield, and we must be ready for all of them.
RFE/RL: On that note, you have not only focused on Russia in this bill; you mentioned China, Iran, North Korea, and Belarus. Are we seeing some sort of coordinated bloc, or overlapping threats with shared interests among these actors?
Bell: We are seeing some level of collaboration among these malign actors, and we need to be prepared to face those challenges, because that's exactly what our adversaries are doing.
Putin has been very clear about his goals, and we need to stand with democracies. I've had the opportunity to meet with many of our allies around the world since joining Congress, and I think it's important that we all understand the threats we face and confront them together.
RFE/RL: Particularly when it comes to Russia and Iran, how much does their cooperation, not only in Eastern Europe but also in the Middle East, change the strategic picture for NATO and transatlantic unity?
Bell: It underscores the need to strengthen those relationships even more. Iran, we know, is a bad actor and the leading sponsor of terrorism, not only in the Middle East but around the world. We also know that Russia has been working with Iran.
We cannot mislead ourselves into viewing these threats in isolation. Many of our adversaries are coordinating and collaborating. That's why it's even more important to double down on our partnerships and stand with our allies, because no one can do it alone.
RFE/RL: Going back to Ukraine: If Russia is not stopped there, how seriously should we take the risk of this conflict spreading further west?
Bell: One of the key takeaways I've gained from meeting with world leaders and serving on Armed Services is that democracy is hard. When we have allies with functioning democracies, we must protect them fully.
That's why it was so important for me to introduce this legislation. The Baltic states -- Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania -- are our allies, and it's essential that we stand with them. We know what Putin's aims are, and we must defend against them by every means available to us.
RFE/RL: Is there a clear understanding in Washington that Ukraine's outcome will shape long-term security in the entire region?
Bell: Yes, I think overwhelmingly legislators in Congress on both sides of the aisle understand how important defending Ukraine -- as well as the Baltic states -- is, which is why this legislation passed so overwhelmingly.
RFE/RL: People living close to Russia's borders have heard promising statements from the West before. What is your message tonight about America's commitment and staying power in this region?
Bell: As Americans, we understand that we have a key role to play around the world, but we also recognize that we cannot and should not go it alone. It's essential that we stand with our partners and allies.
To those living in these regions and around the world, I want them to know that they do have a reliable partner in the United States. We recognize how important our shared values are, and that we must stand together. That's what this legislation is about.
