All the Baltic countries have been steadfast in support of allies

The Steadfast Guardians of Freedom

Hear the words of John Shimkus, spoken not in idle praise but in recognition of courage:

“All the Baltic countries have been steadfast in support of allies of the United States since they gained their independence following the fall of the Soviet Union and have continued to be supportive in the ongoing war on terror.”

In this declaration lies a tale of endurance, loyalty, and the rebirth of nations once silenced by tyranny. The Baltic countries—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—stand as living testaments to the strength of the human spirit. These lands, small in size but mighty in heart, endured the iron grasp of the Soviet Union for half a century. Yet, when the great empire of fear and silence finally cracked and fell, the Baltic peoples rose, not with vengeance, but with resolve. They reclaimed their independence, not merely as a political state but as a moral rebirth—a renewal of their identity, culture, and faith in liberty.

The Meaning of Steadfastness

When Shimkus speaks of “steadfast support,” he invokes an ancient virtue—fidelity, the constancy of nations that hold to their word even when the storms of history rage. For the Baltics, freedom was not a gift—it was hard-won through decades of courage. They remember well the shadow of occupation, the midnight arrests, the exile of families to frozen lands, and the suppression of their languages and faiths. And because they remember, they understand the true price of freedom.

Thus, in the years after 1991, when they stepped once more into the sunlight of independence, they chose to stand with those who defended liberty elsewhere. They joined the NATO alliance, not for conquest, but for principle—for they knew that the defense of one free nation is the defense of all. In peace and in war, they remembered that solidarity among the just is the only shield against tyranny’s return.

The Origin of Their Alliance

The origin of this unwavering friendship lies in shared history. During the Cold War, the United States never recognized the Soviet annexation of the Baltic states. Their embassies continued to fly their flags in exile, small symbols of hope that one day their nations would rise again. When that day came—when the Soviet Union fell in 1991—the bond between the Baltics and America was not forged, but renewed.

The three nations rebuilt their armies, schools, and economies with remarkable speed, transforming from occupied territories into models of democratic resilience. In the decades that followed, they did not retreat into isolation but took their place among the defenders of global security. They sent soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan, not because they sought glory, but because they understood the moral duty of those who have known oppression—to stand beside others struggling for peace.

The Example of Courage and Faith

Consider the story of Lithuania, whose soldiers fought beside American troops in Afghanistan. In the dusty plains of Ghor Province, far from their northern forests, they served with quiet bravery. When asked why they risked their lives so far from home, one Lithuanian commander said simply: “Because freedom is indivisible. If we abandon it anywhere, we weaken it everywhere.”

Such words echo across the ages. They remind us of the ancient alliances that bound noble causes together—the Greek city-states who united against Persia, or the free nations who stood against fascism in the twentieth century. The Baltic peoples, though small in number, carry the same flame of conviction: that freedom is not sustained by comfort, but by courage; not by walls, but by solidarity.

The Moral Weight of Gratitude

Shimkus’s statement is not only praise; it is gratitude. It is the acknowledgment that those who have suffered understand the worth of liberty far more deeply than those who have never lost it. The Baltic nations, having reclaimed their sovereignty, did not hoard it selfishly—they invested it in the defense of others. Their loyalty stands as a rebuke to cynicism and a beacon to nations that forget their friends when the battle is long.

From their example, the world learns that alliances are not mere contracts of convenience; they are covenants of trust, written not in ink but in sacrifice. The truest allies are those who stand beside you not because they must, but because they believe in what you stand for.

The Lesson for All Generations

From this truth, let every nation, and every individual, draw wisdom: freedom thrives only when it is shared. When the powerful forget gratitude, or the free grow complacent, the seeds of tyranny begin to stir again. The Baltic peoples remind us that liberty must be guarded by those who cherish it most—not only through words, but through action.

In our time, when divisions grow and alliances fray, we must look to their example. They did not forget their friends in hardship, nor their duty in peace. They stood firm, as oak trees in the wind, proving that small nations can bear great burdens when their hearts are pure and their cause is just.

The Eternal Flame of Unity

Thus, John Shimkus’s words stand as a monument to the enduring alliance of conscience between the United States and the Baltic states. From the ruins of occupation, they rose to become defenders of freedom beyond their borders. They teach us that faithfulness, like light, grows brighter when shared across nations.

So remember, children of the future: when you see freedom trembling anywhere in the world, do not turn away. Stand with it, as the Baltics have stood—with courage, loyalty, and the knowledge that the liberty of one is the hope of all. For in the brotherhood of free peoples lies the strength of civilization itself—a strength that no empire, no terror, and no tyranny can ever truly destroy.