Lithuania: NATO members waive MAP for Ukraine: Pres. Nauseda

NATO member states have decided to drop the requirement for a Membership Action Plan (MAP) for Ukraine on its path to NATO membership, Lithuania’s President, Gitanas Nauseda, confirmed, Ukrainska Pravda reports. This was earlier announced by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba. Nauseda noted that the move would simplify Ukraine’s NATO accession process. He stressed that…

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Latvia: Pres. Rinkevics meets Canadian PM Trudeau in Riga

Latvia’s President, Edgars Rinkevics, met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Riga, LETA reports. The two officials discussed the NATO summit in Vilnius, support for Ukraine, the situation in Belarus and Russia, and bilateral economic cooperation. Rinkevics expressed Latvia’s wish for Canada to expand its military presence in Latvia. Canada leads the NATO enhanced…

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Lithuania: Ukraine must win war before joining NATO: Stoltenberg

NATO allies agree that Ukraine will become a member of the defence alliance, but first it must win the war against Russia, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated, LRT reports. Speaking after a meeting with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Vilnius, Stoltenberg said that it was “too early to talk about concrete decisions and concrete…

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Lithuania: Canada’s first ambassador to Vilnius takes office

Canada’s first ambassador to Lithuania, Jeanette Sautner, has taken office on 10 July 2023 after presenting her diplomatic credentials to President Gitanas Nauseda, BNS reports. Nauseda said that the opening of the Canadian embassy in Vilnius would open new opportunities to further strengthen bilateral relations. He thanked Canada for its contribution to strengthening the security…

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Latvia: Canadian PM visits Latvia en route to NATO summit in Vilnius

Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is visiting Latvia on 10 July 2023 en route to the NATO summit in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, LSM reports. He will meet with several Latvian officials and hold a joint press conference with Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins. Trudeau promised to more than double the size of Canada’s contribution to…

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Lithuania: NATO leaders gather for summit in Vilnius

NATO leaders and delegations have begun gathering in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, for the defence alliance’s summit due to take place on 11-12 July 2023, BNS reports. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda will meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the summit venue, the Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Centre (LITEXPO), on 10 July 2023. Also, Nauseda…

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Lithuania: Pres. Nauseda pushes Lithuanian-Polish infrastructure projects

Lithuania and Poland need to increase their cooperation to speed up the synchronisation of the Baltic electricity grids with the European system, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stated, BNS reports. Also, the two countries needed to accelerate the implementation of the Via Baltica highway, the Augustow-Alytus road, and the Rail Baltica railway projects, Nauseda said. Speaking…

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Estonia: European Commission urges Estonia to regulate party financing

The European Commission’s latest rule of law report urges Estonia to adopt legislation to improve the regulation of political party financing, BNS reports. The report raises concern that there are no transparent and objective rules on the financing of civil society organisations by the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, from the state budget. Also, the report…

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