The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has voted in favour of withdrawing from the Convention on Cluster Munitions, with 103 MPs in favour, 1 against, and 3 abstentions, BNS reports. Once President Gitanas Nauseda signs the law, Lithuania will withdraw from the convention six months after notification. Defence Minister Laurynas Kasciunas argued that the convention restricted…
US congressmen Donald Bacon of Nebraska and Salud Carbajal of California have visited the Baltic States, LSM reports. In Latvia, the two members of the US House of Representatives met with Prime Minister Evika Silina, Foreign Minister Baiba Braze, and Defence Minister Andris Spruds to discuss political, economic, and defence cooperation, the NATO summit in…
The Baltic States, along with Nordic EU countries and Poland, will not send any ministers to Hungary during the country’s EU presidency, LETA reports. The move is in response to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s visit to Russia. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda will coordinate with other EU leaders on whether to attend a European Council…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has hinted at the possible replacement of a few government ministers, expressing particular dissatisfaction with the performance of the ministers of health and agriculture, BNS reports. Nauseda has had preliminary discussions with Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte about the possible changes, emphasising the necessity of action despite the approaching parliamentary elections. The…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda was inaugurated as president for a second term on 12 July 2024, LRT reports. In his inaugural address, Nauseda pledged to strengthen national security, defend Lithuanian interests in foreign policy, continue supporting Ukraine, and foster ties with the US. He called for raising Lithuania’s defence budget to 4% of GDP by…
NATO allies agree that the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) should manage the rotation of air-defence systems in the Baltic region, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stated, BNS reports. He said that political leaders of individual countries need not travel to different capitals and request anti-air defence systems. The NATO summit in Vilnius agreed in 2023…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has formally proposed that the parliament, the Seimas, denounce the Convention on Cluster Munitions, BNS reports. The Office of the President argued that current international legal restrictions limited Lithuania’s defence capabilities and reduced the effectiveness of deterrence. Lithuania and Norway are the only NATO member states sharing a border with Russia…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda will raise the issue of NATO’s response to recent Russian hybrid attacks at the alliance’s summit in Washington, his chief national security adviser, Kestutis Budrys, said, BNS reports. Speaking in an interview with Ziniu Radijas, Budrys insisted that NATO had to respond to attacks when there was clear attribution. He suggested…
Baltic leaders reacted strongly to Russia’s massive missile attacks across Ukraine, including against a children’s hospital in Kyiv, on 8 July 2024. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stated that there was “no line Russian terrorists would not cross.” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that Russia was a terrorist state with whom negotiations were impossible. Estonian…