WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd May, 2019) Energy Secretary Rick Perry discussed with the presidents of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia possible US investments to develop the Baltic region's natural resources, the Energy Department said on Tuesday after the four officials met on the margins of President Volodymyr Zelensky's inauguration in Kiev.
Perry and the US delegation "met on the sidelines of the inauguration with President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of the Republic of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid, and President of Latvia Raimonds Vējonis," the release said. "The Presidents and the US delegation discussed the importance of economic and energy cooperation between the US and the Baltic states, including support for US financial investment in the development of the region's vast natural resources."
During the meeting, Perry stressed Washington's support for energy development and diversity in order to decrease the EU's dependence on Russian natural gas, the Energy Department added.
President Donald Trump chose Perry to head the US delegation that attended Zelensky's swearing-in ceremony on Monday in Kiev. The delegation also included Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker, Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council Alexander Vindman, Deputy Chief of Missions for the US Embassy in Ukraine Joseph Pennington and Senator Ron Johnson.
"The leaders stressed the importance of a strong relationship between the US and the Baltic states and look forward to continuing to build upon their relationship with Ukraine under President Zelenskyy's leadership. All four countries committed to providing support, as necessary, to the new Ukrainian Administration in their reform and development efforts - particularly in energy" the release said.
The United States, which did not start exporting its LNG until only a few years ago, is already striving to be included among the top three leading liquefied natural gas producers in the world by the end of 2019. Washington now seeks to expand its export opportunities in Europe and opposes the construction of new gas pipelines in the region by one of the key gas suppliers to Europe � Russia.
