Lithuania should not rule out dialogue with neighbouring Belarus, Mindaugas Sinkevicius, chairman of the ruling Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), stated, BNS reports. He suggested that contacts between deputy ministers could be possible, particularly if they take place at US invitation. Sinkevicius highlighted the release of political prisoners and the lifting of some sanctions after…
The party congress of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP) has elected Mindaugas Sinkevicius as the party’s chairman until 2029, LRT reports. He was the only candidate for the post, receiving 503 votes out of 535. Sinkevicius has led LSDP since August 2025 after the party’s previous chairman, MP Gintautas Paluckas, resigned amid a…
Ukraine “firmly anchored in the European family is in the interest of European security and essential for Europe’s future as a geopolitical power and economic actor,” the foreign ministers of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) countries stated, ERR reports. Following their two-day meeting in Estonia’s Kuressaare on 29-30 April 2026, the ministers expressed support for Ukraine’s…
Latvia’s Riga city court has issued an arrest warrant for former MP Aleksejs Roslikovs of the pro-Russian opposition party, For Stability, who has been charged with inciting national and ethnic hatred, LSM reports. At a press conference in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, Roslikovs suggested that he might not return to Latvia, LETA reported. Earlier, he resigned from…
Lithuania’s opposition Union of Democrats for Lithuania (DSVL) may rejoin the government, ELTA reports. DSVL chairman, MP Saulius Skvernelis, neither confirmed nor denied potential coalition talks. Earlier, President Gitanas Nauseda urged the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP) to make changes to the ruling coalition. This was after ten MPs, all of whom represent coalition…
Every tenth resident of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, is a foreign national, according to the city’s mayor, Valdas Benkunskas, ELTA reports. Vilnius has altogether around 76,000 foreign residents, of whom 61,000 (80%) are non-EU citizens, BNS reported. Around 40,000 of the foreigners, mostly from Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, have temporary residence permits. The mayor warned…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has extended a ban on the import of agricultural and animal feed products from Russia and Belarus until 1 July 2027, LSM reports. Latvia banned the import of certain agricultural products from the two aggressor states in March 2024. The ban applies to products originating from Russia or Belarus that…
Lithuanian officials have been making public statements recently suggesting a possible rapprochement in relations with neighbouring Belarus, only to retract their remarks afterwards, LRT reports. Observers say that the comments may be an attempt to test whether Lithuanian public opinion on Belarus is changing. Officials have suggested opening talks with Belarus and easing sanctions imposed…
State-owned and municipal companies in Latvia involved in building or maintaining critical infrastructure have begun dismissing Russian and Belarusian citizens, LETA reports. Under amendments to the law on national security, Russian and Belarusian citizens may not be employed in jobs with access to critical infrastructure. Latvian capital Riga’s municipal water utility, Rigas Udens, has terminated…