Five candidates are running to lead Lithuania’s conservative opposition party, Homeland Union (TS-LKD), for the next four years, BNS reports. The five candidates are the party’s acting chairwoman, former education minister Radvile Morkunaite-Mikuleniene, former defence ministers Arvydas Anusauskas and Laurynas Kasciunas, MP Zygimantas Pavilionis, and the chairman of the party’s local branch in Jurbarkas, Daivaras…
Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas will resign, the government announced, LRT reports. Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte explained that the government wanted to do “more and faster” for Lithuania’s security. Anusauskas revealed that Simonyte had offered him another post but he had refused. The minister said that the offer to swap posts was “unexpected.” Simonyte named…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda remains the country’s most popular politician, according to a Vilmorus poll for Lietuvos Rytas in February 2024, BNS reports. Nauseda’s favourable rating stood at 66%, which was down from 68.3% in December 2023. His unfavourable rating was 15.1% (13.5%). MEP Vilija Blinkeviciute, chairwoman of the opposition Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP),…
The decision of the three Baltic States to build a “Baltic defence line” is preparation for a possible Russian attack, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis stated, BNS reports. He said that the move served as a political message, seeking to draw the attention of allies to the threat posed by Russia. “If Russia is not…
Lithuania needs all types of weapons for defence, including tanks and drones, defence chief General Valdemaras Rupsys stated, BNS reports. The Lithuanian Armed Forces (LGP) has to have the capability to counterattack and take over targets, he stressed. This will require mechanised and tank units, Rupsys explained. Earlier, Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas announced that Lithuania…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said that there was “nothing personal” in his decision not to invite Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis to a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Presidential Palace on 10 January 2024, BNS reports. He said that the meeting focused on military aid and defence industry cooperation, and that Defence Minister…
Lithuania will purchase multifunctional artillery radar systems from the Dutch defence contractor, Thales Nederland, for EUR 126.7mn, BNS reports. The first Thales GM200 MM/C radar systems are due to be delivered by 2026. The agreement includes cooperation in multifunctional radar support between Lithuania and the Netherlands, with potential involvement of the Lithuanian defence industry in…
Russia’s Ministry of Interior has placed Kamile Seraite, member of the city council of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, on its wanted list, BNS reports, citing Russian independent media outlet Mediazona. Seraite has campaigned for the removal of Soviet-era monuments and street names in Vilnius. She chairs the city’s Historical Memory Commission, which is in charge…
Regional branches of Lithuania’s ruling Homeland Union (TS-LKD) have proposed their preferred candidates for president in the upcoming elections in May 2024, BNS reports. Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte was the favourite with 66 nominations, followed by Foreign Minister and TS-LKD chairman Gabrielius Landsbergis with 64 and Labour and Social Security Minister Monika Navickiene with 62….