85th Anniversary of the Welles Declaration

Comemorative event location and time to be announced shortly.

July 23rd will mark the 85th anniversary of the impactful Welles Declaration, which doutlined the United States policy of non-recognition of the Soviet takeover of the three Baltic countries. That year, the statement of the Acting United States Secretary of State Sumner Welles declared the occupation of the Baltic states by the Soviet Union illegal. This position, known as the Welles Declaration, became the basis for the U.S. policy of non-recognition of the annexation of the Baltic states.

We must continue to standing firmly for the sovereign self-determination of countries and the principles of international law, a conviction that is very relevant today, especially as we see Russia’s invasion and aggression against Ukraine and are witness to the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories.

The Welles Declaration set a world-wide standard of non-recognition of the Baltic incorporation into the Soviet Union and helped Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania to preserve the continuity of state and to eventually restore their independence.

Due to the non-recognition of the occupation, diplomats of the Baltic countries were able to continue the work of their missions.

The Welles Declaration was largely inspired and drafted by Loy W. Henderson, who had visited Latvia as a Red Cross volunteer in 1919, and later on as a U.S. diplomat. The idea for a declaration was fully supported by Sumner Welles, who in 1940 served as Under Secretary of State.