- Title: U.S. senators visit Baltics to reassure them ahead of Trump presidency
- Date: 27th December 2016
- Summary: TALLINN, ESTONIA (DECEMBER 27, 2016) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** EXTERIOR OF ESTONIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDING ESTONIAN PRIME MINISTER JURI RATAS AND U.S. SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN ARRIVING MCCAIN SHAKING HANDS WITH ESTONIAN GOVERNMENT DELEGATION RATAS AND U.S. SENATORS LEAVING ROOM FOR TALKS DELEGATION TAKING SEATS IN GOVERNMENT MEETING ROOM MCCAIN LISTENING U.S. DELEGATION ESTONIAN DELEGATION MEETING IN PROGRESS RATAS DURING MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR, JOHN MCCAIN, SAYING: "At this time, when we see things like the cyber-attacks that are being conducted by Russia, China and other countries, when we see the continued aggression in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, when we see continued threats that are made to Georgia, our relationship is more important than perhaps it has been in a long time." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR, JOHN MCCAIN, SAYING: "I think the presence of the American troops here in Estonia is a signal that we believe in what Ronald Reagan believed, and that is peace through strength. And the best way to prevent Russian misbehaviour is by having a credible, strong military and a strong NATO alliance of which Estonia is a very important part." CAMERAMAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR, JOHN MCCAIN, SAYING: "There is no doubt that the Russians were hacking. But there is doubt whether it had any effect on the outcome of the election. There is no evidence right now that that indeed, that Russian cyber-attacks and a leaking of information had any tangible effect on the outcome of the American election." RATAS AND MCCAIN SHAKING HANDS AND LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM
- Embargoed: 11th January 2017 12:01
- Keywords: U.S Senator John McCain Baltics defence Donald Trump
- Location: TALLINN, ESTONIA
- City: TALLINN, ESTONIA
- Country: Estonia
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ENRBY1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Senior Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham arrived in Estonia on Tuesday (December 27) on a visit seen as a bid to reassure Baltic states concerned that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump may not be fully committed to their defence.
Trump unnerved many in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia by saying on the campaign trail he would consider a country's contributions to the NATO alliance before coming to its aid.
Russian military involvement in Ukraine and Georgia has stoked fears in the Baltics that their former Soviet master might eventually try something similar there.
McCain and Graham, seen as defence policy hawks, have asked Trump to take a tough line against Russia over what they termed its "military land grab" in Ukraine.
"At this time, when we see things like the cyber attacks that are being conducted by Russia, China and other countries, when we see the continued aggression in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, when we see continued threats that are made to Georgia, our relationship is more important than perhaps it has been in long time," McCain said at a news conference during his visit to the Baltic country.
"The best way to prevent Russian misbehaviour is by having a credible, strong military and a strong NATO alliance of which Estonia is a very important part," he added.
The two senators have also called for a bipartisan panel to investigate cyber attacks against the United States, including Russia's alleged efforts to influence the U.S. presidential election.
"There is no doubt that the Russians were hacking. But there is doubt whether it had any effect on the outcome of the election. There is no evidence right now that that indeed, that Russian cyber attacks and a leaking of information had any tangible effect on the outcome of the American election," said McCain.
McCain and Graham travel to Latvia on Wednesday and Lithuania on Thursday, where they will meet heads of state and top defence officials. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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