Riga/Tallinn/Vilnius  - Baltic leaders voiced hope Wednesday that ties with the US will strengthen further with Barack Obama as president, including cooperation in confronting Russia.

Top politicians in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania all said the outcome of Tuesday's election offered a chance to deepen an already warm trans-Atlantic relationship.

Congratulating Obama, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said there is "a window of opportunity for even more active coordination and cooperation of foreign policy between the European Union and the United States, especially when we speak about issues like Afghanistan or policies vis-a-vis Russia."

"Estonia is a country which values the freedom of every citizen ... so in this regard Estonia is very similar to the United States," Paet told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Latvian foreign minister Maris Riekstins made a point of remembering Obama's running mate, Senator Joe Biden.

He said he had sent the US vice president-elect a letter of congratulations that highlights Biden's work as chairman of the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee as well as his support for Latvia's joining NATO.

"I am convinced that the contacts between Latvia and the US will continue to develop in the present atmosphere of friendship," Riekstins said.

In Lithuania, President Valdas Adamkus said Obama's victory underlined the importance of trans-Atlantic partnership.

"I believe that together with the new US administration we will renew and strengthen this partnership, where the agendas for advanced energy security and for support of Eastern European democracies play a major role," Adamkus said.

He also made a point of praising the Obama team's "strong stand in the face of Russia's aggression against Georgia" and suggested that in the near future a new US-Baltic future action plan could be developed to improve security and stability in the region. (dpa)