A member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) died while on duty near the Latvian capital, Riga, on 29 January 2026, LSM reported. Gunner Sebastian Halmagean was deployed in Latvia as part of a Canadian-led NATO brigade. He had served in the CAF for almost three years, and this was his first overseas deployment.
The defence ministers of the three Baltic States have signed a letter of intent on establishing a Baltic Military Mobility Area, LSM reports. The aim is to standardise border crossing procedures, coordinate the movement of military cargo, and ensure operational information exchange. Furthermore, the Baltic allies will work to align their military movement procedures with…
The foreign ministers of the three Baltic States and Finland expressed solidarity with Denmark and Greenland after US President Donald Trump repeated his claim that the US needed to annex Greenland, ERR reports. Earlier, Trump appointed Louisiana governor Jeff Landry as US special envoy to Greenland. Landry stated that he would work to make Greenland…
The number of housing transactions in Latvia increased by around 20% in the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the same period of 2024, according to real estate agency Latio, LETA reported. The data showed that it took an average of 47 days to sell a home at market price in December 2025, which…
Life satisfaction in the Baltic States was highest in Lithuania in 2024, according to Eurostat data, LSM reports. Lithuanian residents said that their overall satisfaction with life stood at 7.2 out of 10 points, which was the same as the EU average and unchanged from 2023. Meanwhile, life satisfaction was 7.1 (7.2) in Estonia and…
The Latvian government has extended the enhanced border protection regime on the border with Belarus for another six months until 30 June 2026, LSM reports. The regime, which is in force in certain parishes and municipalities along the border, was due to expire at the end of 2025. The enhanced control regime was declared due…
GDP per capita in the Baltic States was highest in Lithuania in 2024, according to preliminary data from Eurostat, BNS reports. Lithuania’s real GDP per capita stood at 87.5% of the EU average in 2024, followed by Estonia with 79.0% and Latvia with 68.4%. Actual individual consumption (AIC) per capita amounted to 88% of the…
Less than half of Latvians saw their income rise in 2025, according to a Norstat survey for Luminor Bank, LSM reports. In the survey, 41% of Latvian residents reported that their income had increased in 2025. Specifically, 27% said that their income had increased by up to 10%, another 10% by 10-15%, and 7% by…
Latvia’s GDP will grow by 1.7% in 2025, according to the Bank of Latvia’s revised macroeconomic forecast, LSM reports. In June 2025, the central bank projected 1.2% GDP growth in 2025. The new forecast expects economic growth to accelerate thanks to increased domestic and external demand. The GDP will grow by 2.8% in 2026, by…