The Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) will hold a comprehensive national defence exercise, Namejs 2024, throughout Latvia from 3 September to 8 October 2024, LSM reports. The exercise will involve soldiers from all NBS units, including conscripts, reserve soldiers, and allied troops from several NATO countries. Around 11,000 Latvian and allied soldiers and Latvian National…
Albanian President Bajram Begaj has embarked on a tour of the three Baltic States, Pamfleti reports. During his visit to the region, Begaj will meet with his Baltic counterparts, prime ministers, and speakers of parliaments. The talks will focus on bilateral relations, cooperation within NATO, and Albania’s EU integration. Begaj will also discuss the role…
Estonia may need to raise its defence spending to 5% of GDP to implement NATO’s new defence plans, Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur stated, ERR reports. He said that Estonia clearly needed to acquire more capabilities, including air defence systems and equipment to deal with chemical and biological weapons. The money needed would amount to EUR…
Estonia’s new permanent representative to the EU is Kyllike Sillaste-Elling, ERR reports. Prior to her appointment, Sillaste-Elling served as deputy secretary general for political affairs at the Estonian Foreign Ministry. In 2017-2021, she was Estonia’s ambassador to NATO.
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…
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…
Estonia’s primary goals at the NATO summit in Washington include increasing defence spending, closing capability gaps, and maintaining a focus on the threat from Russia, ERR reports. Estonia is pushing for investments in critical defence capabilities such as air defence and ammunition. Estonia supports raising the defence spending target to 2.5-3% of GDP. Additionally, Estonia…
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…