Vice President Pence reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to NATO and its Baltic allies and spoke out against Russia in a news conference with Baltic leaders on July 31. "Recent diplomatic action taken by Moscow will not deter the United States," he said. During a visit in Tallinn, Estonia, July 30, Vice President Pence said President Trump intends to sign a bill that increases sanctions against Russia "very soon." “And be assured: The United States rejects any attempt to use force, threats, intimidation, or malign influence in the Baltic States or against any of our treaty allies,” Pence said. But, the vice president noted with enthusiasm, Latvia and Lithuania are both on track to meet their defense spending goals by the end of 2018.

Source: Washington Post July 31, 2017 16:21 UTC