During these past few days the devious processes where under the political independence and territorial integrity of the three small Baltic Republics—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—were to be deliberately annihilated by one of their more powerful neighbors, have been rapidly drawing to their conclusion.” Thus begins a declaration, issued 75 years ago this week, with which the United States government announced that it would not recognize the newly occupied Baltic states as part of the Soviet Union. The declaration, known as the Welles Declaration after Acting Secretary of State Sumner Welles, was joined by 50 other countries and lasted until the Baltic states gained independence five decades later.
Yesterday the Baltic states celebrated the anniversary of their now-formal ally’s principled stand with them with speeches and music. Lithuania’s celebration appropriately enough took place in Vilnius’s Washington Square and featured “American-style refreshments.” And, I have learned from Lithuanian sources, the country is quietly also making the case to its NATO and EU allies for a new Welles-style declaration: one dealing with Crimea. Both government officials and parliamentarians have, I am told, brought up the concept with their counterparts.