A new Baltic think tank, the Baltic International Security Centre (BISC), was launched at an event in the Belgian capital, Brussels, on 3 June 2026, LSM reports. The UK-based centre was founded by British veteran journalist and security expert Edward Lucas. BISC’s patrons are four former Baltic presidents: Estonia’s Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Latvia’s Vaira Vike-Freiberga…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene expressed support for Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys amid speculation about his future in government, LRT reported. Nauseda insisted that discussions about replacing Budrys were “not very responsible and not very serious”, pointing out that no concrete allegations had been made against him. Moreover, the President noted…
Latvia’s security situation has not improved and has become more complex, President Edgars Rinkevics stated, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview on TV24, Rinkevics warned that Russia was becoming more unpredictable and that Latvia must be prepared to respond to various kinds of Russian provocations. At the same time, he noted that the threat posed…
US President Donald Trump has nominated Keith Noreika to serve as the new US ambassador to Lithuania, LRT reports. If confirmed by the US Senate, Noreika will replace career diplomat Kara McDonald, who has served as ambassador since 2024. Noreika is a corporate lawyer specialising in financial regulation. He has served as executive deputy president…
Renewed calls for engagement with Russia do not reflect Europe’s security needs, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stated, BNS reports. Speaking at the opening of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s spring session in the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, Nauseda insisted that Russia has to be “contained, not courted.” He reminded that the future of European security was…
Estonian President Alar Karis will announce whether he plans to run for a second term in office just after Midsummer Day, which is on 24 June 2026, ERR reports. Urmas Reinsalu, chairman of the national-conservative opposition party, Fatherland, said that the leadership council of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, would not move forward with any…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has approved a new four-party coalition government led by Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs of the United List, LSM reports. Altogether 66 MPs voted for and 25 against the new right-of-centre government. Besides the United List, the new ruling coalition includes the National Alliance, New Unity, and the Union of Greens…
Hostile states were probably responsible for a massive data leak at Lithuania’s Centre of Registers (VIRC), President Gitanas Nauseda announced, BNS reported. He said that the theft of over 600,000 records from VIRC’s real estate register was a matter of national security. Nauseda slammed the government for not disclosing the data breach until one or…
Recent drone incidents in the Baltic States are part of Russia’s strategy to destabilise democratic societies in the region, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated, BNS reports. Speaking after a meeting with Baltic presidents in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, von der Leyen stressed the need for EU unity in support of the three…
