Most large and medium-sized companies in the Baltic States plan to invest in business development in 2026, according to a Kantar survey for OP Corporate Bank, LSM reports. The survey showed that 87% of enterprises in Lithuania, 85% in Latvia, and 74% in Estonia plan to invest in development. Specifically, Lithuanian companies plan to increase…
Germany-based news outlet Politico has named Estonia’s former prime minister, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, as one of Europe’s most influential people in 2025, ERR reports. Politico’s list ranked Kallas as the 16th most influential person in Europe. She is the only person on the list from the Baltic States. The publication labelled Kallas…
The prime ministers of the three Baltic States will meet in the Latvian capital, Riga, on 12 December 2025, BNS reports. The meeting concludes Latvia’s presidency of the Baltic Council of Ministers. Estonia will take over the presidency in 2026. The prime ministers will discuss regional security, including support for Ukraine and strengthening Europe’s eastern…
Gross domestic expenditure on research and development (R&D) in the Baltic States was highest in Estonia in 2024, according to Eurostat data, LSM reports. Estonia’s R&D spending stood at 1.99% of GDP, which was up from 1.83% in 2023. The indicator stood at 1.04% (1.04%) in Lithuania and at 0.92% (0.82%) in Latvia. The EU…
Baltic financial group Luminor has appointed Karl von Rohr as the new chairman of the supervisory councils of Luminor Holding and Luminor Bank as of 1 January 2026, LSM reports. He replaces Nils Melngailis, who served in the positions since the bank was established in 2017. Prior to his appointment, von Rohr was management board member…
The profit share of non-financial corporations in the Baltic States was highest in Lithuania in 2024, according to Eurostat data, LSM reports. The profit share of non-financial corporations in Lithuania stood at 41.6%, followed by Estonia with 40.0% and Latvia with 35.6%. The EU average was 40.1%. The business profit share is defined as gross…
Europe has finally received the message, “loud and clear,” from successive US presidents that Europeans must take responsibility for their own security, Jonatan Vseviov, secretary general of the Estonian Foreign Ministry, said, ERR reports. He insisted that Europe must stand firm behind the principles that have made the current European security order possible — territorial…
The three Baltic States have joined Finland, Ireland, Poland, and Sweden in urging the EU to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine, LETA reports. The seven member states sent a joint letter to European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa to express support for the EC’s proposal…
The Baltic States will receive “special favour” from the United States in the future for being “model allies” who prioritise their own defence, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth stated, ERR reports. The three Baltic countries have pledged to allocate 5% of their GDP to defence over the coming years. Allies that “fail to do…
