Vilnius to Mark Anniversary of Welles Declaration

Vilnius is set to commemorate the anniversary of the Welles Declaration, an event designed to honor the historical significance of this US statement for Lithuania and mark a jubilee year for US-Lithuanian relations. The commemoration underscores shared values of freedom, democracy, and respect for international law that have long bound the two nations.

"By commemorating these anniversaries, we celebrate freedom, democracy, and respect for international law – values that have united Lithuania and the US for many decades," stated Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys. He added that the principled stance of the US and the Welles Declaration, adopted in 1940, offered hope to the Baltic nations for the restoration of their independence.

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By commemorating these anniversaries, we celebrate freedom, democracy, and respect for international law – values that have united Lithuania and the US for many decades.

The ceremony will feature the national anthems of Lithuania and the US, the ceremonial raising of both countries' flags, and a performance by the Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer Forces Big Band. The Welles Declaration, issued on July 23, 1940, by then-US Assistant Secretary of State Sumner Welles, established the US policy of non-recognition of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states. This principled stance inspired other European and world nations to follow suit and served as an expression of consistent diplomatic and political support for the Baltic states' pursuit of statehood.

For five decades, the Lithuanian tricolor flag, along with the flags of other Baltic states, flew at the US Department of State, symbolizing the enduring US commitment. The declaration's legacy continues to represent a crucial diplomatic tool and a beacon of hope for nations seeking to maintain their sovereignty against external pressures.

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The principled stance of the US and the Welles Declaration, adopted in 1940, offered hope to the Baltic nations for the restoration of their independence.