Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, returned on Thursday from a week-long trip (June 28-July 5) to the Nordic and Baltic regions, where he met with U.S. and foreign officials in Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, and Finland.
The trip, led by Senator Jeff Flake (R-Az.), focused on political and security issues important to the United States, including the effect of Russian influence in the regions. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Chris Coons (D-De.), and Congressman Ed Royce (R-Ca.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, joined SenatorCorker and Flake on the trip.
“As I traveled to Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, and Finland in my role as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, it was clear that Russia’s destabilizing behavior continues to have a major impact,” said Senator Corker. “As we look forward to the upcoming Helsinki summit, it is important that the U.S. not turn a blind eye to the Putin regime’s long history of aggression, including its violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, interference in elections, and current activities in Syria. In the face of these continued threats, we should stand firmly with our NATO allies and affirm our transatlantic partnership.”