Estonia has taken over the chairship of the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) from the Netherlands, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports. During the one-year term as chair, Estonia will focus on sharing its experience in e-government and on bridging the global digital divide. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stressed the importance of like-minded countries and…
Latvia and Lithuania refused to accept a new package of EU sanctions against Russia that would have allowed companies to continue doing business in Russia, BNS reports. Three unnamed EU diplomats told Politico that Latvia and Lithuania blocked a clause that included exceptions allowing EU companies to continue importing and exporting sanctioned goods. The clause…
Malta has cancelled a visa issued to Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, following joint pressure from the three Baltic states, The Baltic Sentinel reports. According to Russian independent news outlet Meduza, Malta cancelled Zakharova’s visa a day before a ministerial council meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)…
The draft programme of Lithuania’s incoming government calls China a “growing challenge” for foreign and security policy, BNS reports. The programme sees China’s strategic partnership with Russia and growing influence in Belarus as a threat. The new coalition pledges to work for a united approach towards China with Lithuania’s European and transatlantic partners. Also, the…
The Foreign Ministry of Georgia summoned the Estonian and Lithuanian ambassadors and the Latvian chargé d’affaires to express its concern over plans to impose sanctions on senior Georgian government officials, Agenda.ge reports. The ministry said that the plans amounted to “interference in Georgia’s internal affairs.” Earlier, the Baltic foreign ministers announced sanctions against several Georgian…
Estonia’s Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Piret Hartman, is visiting India to promote bilateral trade, BNS reports. She is accompanied by a business delegation of several leading Estonian food and beverage companies. Hartman noted that Estonia was already exporting cheese to India, but suggested that there was also potential for exporting other dairy products,…
Lithuania’s incoming prime minister, Gintautas Paluckas, said that he was not informed about the government’s decision to expel three Chinese diplomats, BNS reports. He said that the consequences of the move remained to be seen, noting that diplomatic relations with China were already “practically non-existent.” China has warned that the expulsions could lead to retaliatory…
Baltic and Canadian foreign ministers met in the Latvian capital, Riga, on 2 December 2024, European Interest reported. The ministers discussed transatlantic relations as well as regional and global security and cooperation. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze stressed that containing Russia and providing strong support to Ukraine were essential for the long-term interests of transatlantic…
China hopes that the incoming new government in Lithuania will bring bilateral ties back to the right track, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, China News Service reports. The spokesperson urged the new government to abide by Lithuania’s “political commitment” on diplomatic relations between the two countries and to uphold the so-called One China principle….