German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Lithuania on the country’s Statehood Day on 6 July 2025, BNS reported. He reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to Lithuania’s defence. Speaking at a joint press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Vilnius, Steinmeier stated: “Your security is our security, your freedom is our freedom.” Germany is deploying a permanent brigade…
Almost a third of consumers in Latvia still pay in cash, according to a report from financial technology platform Adyen, Labs of Latvia reports. The data showed that 29% of Latvian consumers prefer to pay in cash. Around a third of those aged 30 and those aged 60 as well as a quarter of 20-year-olds…
Estonian capital Tallinn’s four-party coalition government is likely to continue for the time being, ERR reports. The Estonian Reform Party’s regional branch in Tallinn decided not to vote in favour of ousting incumbent mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski of the Social Democratic Party (SDE). Reform demands that the city council abolish kindergarten fees and approve a supplementary…
Three politicians in Lithuania are running to lead the opposition Lithuanian Liberal Movement (LLS), BNS reports. The candidates are the party’s current chairperson, MP Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, who has led the party since 2019, MP and former culture minister Simonas Kairys, and Plunge mayor Audrius Klisonis. LLS will elect its chair for a two-year term through…
Latvia’s National Armed Forces (NBS) intends to recruit an additional 500 professional soldiers, Baltic News Network reports. NBS plans to recruit altogether 8,000 professional soldiers over 2025. The Defence Ministry has allocated up to EUR 7.7mn of state budget funds for military staff salaries in 2025. Another EUR 6.5mn will be needed in 2026. The…
The EU should take on joint debt to finance defence spending, Gediminas Simkus, board chairman of the Bank of Lithuania, stated, BNS reports. Speaking in an interview with Politico, Simkus called for “more unity in defence” in the EU, noting that the European defence industry market was still very fragmented. He said that the “time…
The Latvian government may have to take additional austerity measures to implement the ruling coalition’s policy priorities, Prime Minister Evika Silina stated, LETA reports. Earlier, ministries submitted proposals to cut altogether EUR 150mn in public sector spending in 2026. Speaking in an interview with TV3, Silina said that the sum might not be enough to…
An Estonian volunteer fighting against Russia in Ukraine was killed in action on 25 June 2025, ERR reports. Alo Klaassepp, 25, was killed in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region near the town of Borova. He was fighting as part of the international battalion of Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade. Klaassepp, who was from Pärnu, joined the Armed Forces…
The Lithuanian Migration Department (LMD) has revoked the temporary residence permit of a Russian citizen for repeatedly travelling to Russia and Belarus, BNS reports. The person is the first to lose their residence status under a new law, which bars Russian citizens from travelling to either country more than once within any three-month period. LMD…
