I would like to thank the AJC for what it has done both for my country’s aspirations but also for all three Baltic nations and all four Visegrad nations.
– Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, President of Latvia (1999-2007) in 2017
We are grateful inheritors of the post-war, transatlantic security structures bestowed upon us by visionary American and European leaders who were inspired by common values and united against common threats. Part of our mission at AJC is to defend the precious alliance of democracies—its treaties, institutions and norms—that has sustained peace and brought prosperity to the generations born after World War II. As students of history, we know all too well the terrible price when these principles are not respected and protected. AJC works tirelessly across Europe and the United States, through our exchange programs, events, and research to support and deepen transatlantic relations in the belief that our common values set the strongest foundations for the future.
NATO has been the bulwark for the security of the United States and its 28 transatlantic allies for over 70 years. Understanding the challenges of recovery after Soviet occupation, AJC has been on the frontline of NATO’s expansion in Central and Eastern Europe, supporting the drive for national sovereignty in our region. In 1997 AJC CEO David Harris testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in favour of NATO expansion in Central Eastern Europe:
“The opportunity presented by an expanded NATO is one that should not, must not, be lost. An expanded NATO means greater stability for Central Europe (…). AJC believes that, while the cost of NATO expansion will not be negligible, the cost of failure to assure European stability and security would be far higher. We therefore urge the Committee to support the Administration in its steady, incremental broadening of the Western alliance.”
– AJC CEO David Harris, in 1997. Read the whole statement here.
AJC believes in the power of the European Union to keep a historically fractious Europe whole, free, and at peace. The EU has proven to be the most ambitious and successful European peace project since the end of World War II. We see the EU as a key partner in creating a stronger transatlantic alliance. In 2004, AJC opened its Transatlantic Institute in Brussels to advance AJC’s global advocacy.
The Transatlantic Friends of Israel (TFI) is a cross-party, inter-parliamentary group of like-minded American and European legislators who are committed to upholding the post-war, transatlantic order of security and cooperation. These elected representatives from both sides of the Atlantic believe that the security of Israel, the only liberal democracy in the Middle East, is a critical element of the transatlantic the political, economic, and security architecture we know today. The Visegrad and Baltic nations are represented by nineteen members of national parliaments and five members of the European Parliament. Learn more about the TFI Group here and see the whole list of members here.
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