Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry has proposed expanding national sanctions against Russian and Belarusian citizens, BNS reports. Under the proposed draft legislation, Russian and Belarusian individuals and organisations would be barred from public cultural or sports events in Lithuania if they have operated in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, directly or indirectly support the war against Ukraine, or…
Latvia and Lithuania and six other EU member states have joined Estonia’s call to ban EU funding for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), ERR reported. Earlier, the IOC executive committee provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, allowing Russian athletes to return to international competitions under the Russian flag. Under the Estonian proposal,…
A majority of members of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, have signed a letter of protest against China’s new “law on ethnic unity,” BNS reported. In the letter sent to the Chinese embassy in Tallinn, the MPs noted that the law was aimed at assimilating ethnic minorities living in China, including Mongols, Tibetans, and Uyghurs….
Latvia’s Minister of Culture, Nauris Puntulis, has ordered that the ministry stop using Russian in all official public functions, LETA reports. Under the order, the Ministry of Culture, its subordinate institutions, and state-owned companies under its management must stop using Russian at international events, strategic documents, advertising materials, official websites, and other public-facing functions by…
Lithuania’s incoming new coalition government may try to resume official dialogue with neighbouring Belarus on reopening transport links and trade, The Baltic Sentinel reports. Political analyst Vytautas Bruveris noted that many rural voters of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) and the Lithuanian Union of Farmers and Greens (LVZS), especially in eastern Lithuania, were tired…
Three parliamentary groups in Lithuania will sign an agreement on forming a new coalition government on 18 June 2026, BNS reports. The coalition will consist of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP), the Union of Democrats for Lithuania (DSVL), and the joint parliamentary group of the Lithuanian Union of Farmers and Greens (LVZS) and…
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…
Latvia and Finland will co-host the men’s Ice Hockey World Championship games in 2030, the International Ice Hockey Federation announced, LSM reports. The joint bid by the Latvian capital, Riga, and the Finnish capital, Helsinki, was the only contender for the games in May-June 2030. The semifinal and final matches will be played in Helsinki….
Four political groups in Latvia have agreed on the programme of a new coalition government and the distribution of ministerial portfolios, LSM reports. The United List’s MP, Andris Kulbergs, will serve as prime minister, and the party alliance will also hold the posts of ministers of finance, justice, and regional development. Outgoing Prime Minister Evika…
