The three Baltic States have joined eight other European countries in calling on the EU to impose tighter restrictions on visas for Russian citizens, ERR reports. The joint letter from the foreign and interior ministers of nine EU member states, Norway, and Iceland stated that “Russians should not be sunning themselves on European beaches while…
Lithuania will only consider the deployment of US nuclear weapons in the country in the event of a crisis or war, Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas stated, BNS reports. He assured that there was “no talk” of deploying weapons of mass destruction in Lithuania during peacetime. However, in a crisis or war, Lithuania should be prepared…
Latvia’s security situation has not improved and has become more complex, President Edgars Rinkevics stated, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview on TV24, Rinkevics warned that Russia was becoming more unpredictable and that Latvia must be prepared to respond to various kinds of Russian provocations. At the same time, he noted that the threat posed…
A petition initiated by the mayor of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, Valdas Benkunskas, on stricter language rules for foreigners has collected more than 22,500 signatures, BNS reports. Under the proposal, non-EU residents would be required to have at least A2-level proficiency in Lithuanian after three years of residence. Earlier, Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovic argued that…
The Latvian government needs to make a decision on the future of the country’s national airline, airBaltic, in summer 2026, Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs stated, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview with TV3, Kulbergs said that airBaltic remained a strategic state asset, but stressed that taxpayer money could no longer be the sole support for…
Two thirds of Estonian voters disapprove of the government’s performance, according to a new Norstat poll in May 2026, ERR reports. In the survey, 67% of respondents said that the government was performing poorly, while 27% found that the government was doing its job well. The government’s approval rating was unchanged from April 2026. Support…
Estonia ensures much better protection for LGBT rights than Latvia and Lithuania, according to human rights group ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map, which ranks countries based on their legal and policy protection for LGBT people, LSM reports. Estonia ranked 21st on the index with a score of 46.37% on a scale of 0-100% in 2026, which was…
US President Donald Trump has nominated Keith Noreika to serve as the new US ambassador to Lithuania, LRT reports. If confirmed by the US Senate, Noreika will replace career diplomat Kara McDonald, who has served as ambassador since 2024. Noreika is a corporate lawyer specialising in financial regulation. He has served as executive deputy president…
The mayors of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and the Finnish capital, Helsinki, have approved a twin city cooperation plan for 2026-2029, Baltic News reports. The action plan focuses on growth and innovation, resilience and sustainability, and creative industries and grassroots cooperation. The two cities will cooperate in startup ecosystem development, civil protection, and cultural and…
