Lithuania: Coalition leaders suggest opening with China
China appears open to talks on normalising diplomatic relations with Lithuania, the chairman of the…
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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: Coalition leaders suggest opening with China
China appears open to talks on normalising diplomatic relations with Lithuania, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Lithuanian parliament, Remigijus Motuzas of the ruling Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), stated, BNS reports. Speaking after a briefing by Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys, Motuzas said that China was “inclined to meet, communicate, and negotiate”…
Latvia: More air defence systems to eastern border
Latvia will deploy more air defence systems to its eastern border, Defence Minister Raivis Melnis announced, LETA reported. Speaking during a meeting with local government leaders, Melnis said that the deployment would include drones, radars, and interception systems, LSM reported. He thanked Ukraine for providing necessary help. Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said that new counter-drone…
Estonia: Retired general proposed for president
A group of prominent Estonians has proposed retired major general Riho Ühtegi, former commander of the Estonian Defence League (Kaitseliit), for president, ERR reported. Ühtegi confirmed that he was ready to stand as a candidate, Estonian World reported. He said that businessman Raivo Vare could be called his “campaign manager,” ERR reported. Earlier, the ruling Estonian…
Baltic: Russia closes railway lines with Finland, Estonia, Latvia
Russia has closed several railway checkpoints on the borders with Finland, Estonia, and Latvia as of 1 July 2026, The Baltic Times reports. The official notice indicated no end date or reason for the closure. The order applies to the Lyttä, Värtsilä, and Svetogorsk (Enso) checkpoints on Russia’s border with Finland, the Pechory (Petseri) checkpoint…
Lithuania: Incoming PM presents new cabinet
Lithuania’s incoming new prime minister, Mindaugas Sinkevicius, chairman of the country’s ruling Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), has presented his proposed cabinet of ministers to President Gitanas Nauseda, BNS reports. LSDP has nominated nine ministers to the new coalition government: Lukas Alsys for culture minister, Ieva Andriulaityte for environment minister, Kestutis Budrys for foreign minister,…
Latvia: United List, populists top poll in June 2026
Latvia’s ruling United List alliance and the populist opposition party, Latvia First (LPV), were the country’s most popular political parties in June 2026, according to a new SKDS poll for LTV, LSM reports. United List’s support stood at 9.8%, which was up sharply from 6.8% in April-May 2026. Support for LPV was 9.8% as well,…
Estonia: Supermarket revenue mostly flat in 2025
Most major grocery retail chains in Estonia managed to increase their revenue only very slightly in 2025, ERR reported. The country’s largest grocery retailer, cooperative network Coop Eesti, reported consolidated revenue of EUR 855.3mn in 2025, which was up 0.2% from 2024. Coop’s market share stood at nearly 23%. Supermarket chain Selver’s annual revenue totalled…
Baltic: Rail Baltica not built by 2030: Latvian PM
Completing the construction of the Rail Baltica railway in all three Baltic States by 2030 is “mathematically impossible,” Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs stated, LETA reported. Speaking in an interview with TV3, Kulbergs said that Estonian political leaders were living in a “dream world” regarding the project’s timetable, suggesting that they had been given incomplete…
Lithuania: Parliament votes to appoint new PM
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved the appointment of Mindaugas Sinkevicius, chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP), as the country’s new prime minister, BNS reports. Altogether 80 MPs voted for and only 2 MPs against Sinkevicius’s nomination, while 28 MPs abstained. He now has 15 days to present his cabinet of…