Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man. – Psalm 108:12
Acting Secretary of State Sumner Welles published the Welles Declaration on this day in 1940, which outlined the refusal of the United States to recognize the annexation of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to the Soviet Union. The Soviet invasion of these Baltic states was part of a secret deal embedded in the 1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact, wherein the two powers agreed to split the nations between themselves. Though the United States was committed not to intervene militarily at the time, Welles moved to speak into the precarious dynamics of the outbreak of the Second World War. Not recognizing the annexation allowed the U.S. to maintain diplomatic relationships with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. This helped the three countries successfully re-establish their independence fifty years later. Pray today for wisdom for U.S. officials as they take stands on international dynamics.
As the Lord leads, pray with us…
- For discernment for Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the U.S. diplomats under his leadership.
- For foreign policy advisors who are guiding the president and his administration.
