Vice President Biden met today with Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma in the White House. The Vice President underscored the United States ironclad commitment to the collective defense of our NATO Allies under Article 5. Prime Minister Straujuma thanked the United States for its tangible commitments to Latvias security, including the augmentation of NATOs Baltic Air Policing mission and the deployment of paratroopers from the U.S. Army Europe's 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team to conduct exercises in Latvia. The two leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine and agreed on the need for the United States and Europe to remain united in confronting Russias destabilizing actions in eastern Ukraine and its illegal occupation of Crimea. The two leaders discussed the critical importance of bolstering Europes energy security through coordinated actions among European states.The Vice President and Prime Minister Straujuma also agreed on the pivotal role the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) would play in creating jobs and supporting economic growth on both sides of the Atlantic.