On behalf of the United States government, I wish to congratulate Latvia and its people on their centennial anniversary of independence.

We have enjoyed celebrating this special anniversary with you throughout 2018. We were particularly proud to host President Raimonds Vejonis and the presidents of Estonia and Lithuania at the White House in April for the U.S.-Baltic Centennial Summit and the U.S.-Baltic Business Forum. As President Trump noted, the Summit is a testament to the deep and lasting friendship between our countries.

We also welcomed performances by Latvian artists at the Kennedy Center, the Library of Congress, and Dupont Circle in Washington, DC. These celebrations in our nation’s capital were especially meaningful given that throughout the brutal Soviet occupation, the United States never ceased to recognize the sovereignty of Latvia.

Congratulations once again on your centennial and we look forward to the next 100 years of prosperity and growth in our U.S.-Latvian relationship.