Estonia: PM, Foreign Minister underline unity in foreign policy

Estonia has only one foreign policy, Prime Minister Kristen Michal and Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna assured, ERR reports. Earlier, questions arose after President Alar Karis softened his remarks on the war in Ukraine during his state visit to Kazakhstan. Tsahkna stressed that Estonia’s foreign policy was centered on “standing against Russian aggression, supporting Ukraine, and…

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Lithuania: Ministers urge EU to help release trucks from Belarus

Lithuania has asked the European Commission (EC) to help release Lithuanian trucks detained in neighbouring Belarus, BNS reports. Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys and Transport Minister Juras Taminskas urged the EC to draw up a coherent action plan to support EU haulage companies. Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said that around 280 Lithuanian trucks were stuck in…

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Lithuania: Interior Ministry proposes emergency over Belarusian balloons

Lithuania’s Interior Ministry has proposed declaring a nationwide state-level emergency in response to an increased incursion of smuggler balloons from neighbouring Belarus into Lithuanian airspace, BNS reports. The government is expected to decide on the proposal next week. According to the Interior Ministry, altogether 599 smuggler balloons and 197 drones have entered Lithuanian airspace so…

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Lithuania: EU to impose new sanctions on Belarus after balloon attacks

The EU is preparing new sanctions against Belarus, following repeated incursions of smuggler balloons from Belarus into Lithuania, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced, BNS reports. Earlier, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys urged the EU not to allow the Belarusian regime to blackmail and escape its international isolation and have sanctions lifted, ELTA…

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Lithuania: Vilnius Airport reopens after another balloon attack

Lithuania has lifted flight restrictions after disruptions caused by smuggler balloons from neighbouring Belarus, BNS reports. Saulius Batavicius, CEO of air navigation provider Oro Navigacija, said that around 60 balloons were detected during the shutdown, practically blocking access to Vilnius International Airport. The airport was shut down for almost 11 hours. Batavicius noted that the…

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Estonia: Foreign Minister pushes use of Russian assets to help Ukraine

Estonia expects European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to propose a solution this week to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated, ERR reports. He noted that a legal solution already existed to provide guarantees to Belgium against claims from Russia. Tsahkna insisted that there was no need for…

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Estonia: Foreign Minister pans Merkel on Russia policy

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna panned comments by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel who implied that the Baltic States and Poland bore indirect responsibility for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, ERR reported. Tsahkna said that the reason for Russia’s aggression lies in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “inability to come to terms with the collapse of the…

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