Vice President Biden welcomed President Zatlers of Latvia to the White House today, as part of the Administration’s continuing consultations with our European allies.  The Vice President thanked President Zatlers for Latvia’s substantial contributions to our common effort in Afghanistan, including through the sacrifices made by its troops serving in the International Security Assistance Force and through its pivotal role in the Northern Distribution Network.  The two leaders exchanged views on European security and their recent visits to Russia, and agreed on the importance of expanding our cooperation with Russia.  The leaders also praised the Baltic American Freedom Foundation and agreed on the importance of people-to-people contacts between the United States and Latvia.  Finally, the Vice President received the Order of Three Stars from President Zatlers, Latvia’s highest honor, and expressed his commitment for continuing our strong bilateral relations.