Baltic foreign ministers meet with Tillerson in Washington

According to Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sven Mikser, the strong strategic partnership between the Baltic states and the U.S. was reaffirmed at Tuesday's meeting between Baltic foreign ministers and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
"The U.S. is our important ally and in addition to common interests and security challenges, we share common values," Mikser said according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release.
The three Baltic ministers thanked the U.S. for its long-term contributions to the security of the Baltic states and Europe and reaffirmed that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are committed to fulfilling their defene obligations. Tillerson on his part confirmed that U.S. support for NATO is unwavering.
The foreign ministers also emphasized the importance of the fight against unconventional threats. "Cyber security is an integral part of a wider security concept and it is evident that in the future, we must address this issue together," Mikser emphasized. The ministers agreed that when it comes to cyber security, it is important to consider regulation in this field as well.
Speaking about the fight against terrorism, the foreign ministers affirmed the need to strengthen international coordination and cooperation. "Terrorism is our common challenge and Estonia also wants to contribute to the fight against terrorism according to our capabilities," Mikser noted. Tillerson stated that the U.S. appreciates the Baltic states' contributions to the fight against terrorism.
The ministers also discussed energy security, transatlantic free trade as well as strategic communication.
Editor: Aili Vahtla