WASHINGTON DC (February 14, 2019) — Information about NATO StratCom can be found here, details of the event can be found here and the prepared remarks can be found below:

 

I am glad to have this opportunity to welcome to Washington DC several experts from the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence.

As Co-Chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, I am, of course, interested in what the US can do to help preserve freedom in the Baltics.

But, I am also interested in how the US can benefit from the knowledge and capabilities of our Baltic allies to preserve freedom here at home.

On this side of the Atlantic, we have become complacent in some areas since the Cold War.

We have only recently awakened to the reality of ongoing Russian influence operations.

It came as a shock to many people in this country.

Although the Soviet Union is no more, the KGB stayed around.

It just changed its name and updated its tactics.

Disinformation campaigns, and what the Russians call “active measures,” come as no surprise to the Baltic States.

As fellow Western democracies that have had more than their fair share of firsthand experience with the Soviet Union and Putin’s Russia, the Baltics are a valuable source of insight and awareness of potential dangers to freedom.

That’s why it’s very appropriate that the NATO StratCom Centre of Excellence is located in Riga.

While it is supported by funding and staff from many allied and partner countries, I am sure it benefits a great deal from being hosted in Latvia.

We in Washington have a lot to learn about how to counter foreign influence attempts, not just by Russia, but by China, and others.

So, I thank the presenters for sharing their research and expertise.

I also thank all of you for attending this important presentation.

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