Lithuania: Trump to consider permanent US military base
US President Donald Trump will consider establishing a permanent US military base in Lithuania, LRT…
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Welcome to Via Baltica, your “information superhighway” for news from the three Baltic tigers of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania! Our founder and editor-in-chief is Kerkko Paananen, senior news analyst with more than two decades of professional expertise in covering and reporting on current affairs in the Baltic States. We aim to do one thing well:…
Lithuania: Trump to consider permanent US military base
US President Donald Trump will consider establishing a permanent US military base in Lithuania, LRT reports. Earlier, Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius announced that Lithuania was prepared to cover the costs of permanent US military presence in the country. He welcomed Trump’s response to the proposal, saying that US troop presence in Lithuania was a…
Latvia: President asks PM to form new government
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has asked Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs of the United List alliance to form a new government, LSM reports. Rinkevics hoped that the new government could be formed by 18 November 2026, LETA reported. He said that United List had obtained a “very impressive mandate” in the parliamentary elections on 3 October…
Estonia: Parties begin parliamentary election campaign
In Estonia, political parties have begun active campaigning ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections due in March 2027, setting up tents to talk with potential voters, ERR reports. In contrast to previous years, election campaigning on social media is now banned in Estonia. Parties will begin placing posters, outdoor advertising, and TV and radio commercials…
Baltic: Number of resident Russians down in 2025
The number of Russian citizens with valid residence permits declined in all three Baltic States in 2025, according to Eurostat data, Meduza reports. Since 2016, their number has fallen every year in Estonia and Latvia, but rose in Lithuania from 2019 to 2023. Estonia had 78,377 Russians with residence permits at the end of 2025,…
Lithuania: President, PM most influential politicians: polls
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda is the country’s most influential politician, according to the combined results of two new polls, BNS reports. A survey of Lithuania’s elite indicated that Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius was the most influential politician with 598 votes, followed by Nauseda with 565 and Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the conservative opposition party, Homeland…
Latvia: Vote-puller PM’s party triples seats
Altogether six political groups managed to win seats in Latvia’s 100-member parliament in elections that concluded on 3 October 2026, LSM reports. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs’s centre-right United List won an overwhelming victory, more than tripling its number of MPs from 13 to 41. The far-right populist opposition party, Latvia First (LPV), doubled its seat…
Estonia: Government approves new public broadcasting law
The Estonian government has approved amendments to the law regulating the operations of the country’s public broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR), ERR reports. Culture Minister Heidy Purga said that the changes would bring the law into line with EU regulations. The amendments would introduce a four-year funding agreement for ERR and fixed-term contracts for editorial management….
Baltic: airBaltic to slash 20% of staff
Latvia’s national air carrier, airBaltic, may cut 500-700 jobs at its bases in the three Baltic capitals, BNS reports. The company announced that it was in talks with trade unions on potential layoffs, which could affect about 20% of its total workforce. Currently, the airline employs around 3,000 people in the Baltic States. Meanwhile, Dace…
Latvia: PM wins big, three-party coalition likely
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs’s centre-right party alliance, United List, secured a landslide victory in the country’s latest parliamentary elections held on 3 October 2026 with over 35% of the vote, LSM reported. The party’s overwhelming win was a big surprise in light of polls ahead of the elections. Kulbergs is an outspoken businessman who…