Latvia’s construction output rose by 9% over a year in 2025, according to the Central Statistical Bureau’s (CSP) calendar-adjusted data at constant prices, LSM reports. Construction of buildings increased by 1.2%, civil engineering structures by 25.7%, and specialised construction activities by 2.9%. In the fourth quarter of 2025, construction output increased by 9.9% from a…
The city council of Estonia’s second-largest city, Tartu, has voted in favour of concluding a sister city agreement with the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, ERR reports. The main focus of the cooperation agreement will be to provide help for Ukraine’s reconstruction, civil protection, and crisis management. Both Tartu and Lviv are important university cities…
The foreign ministers of Estonia and Ukraine, Margus Tsahkna and Dmytro Kuleba, called for using Russia’s frozen assets, valued at over USD 300bn, to help defend and rebuild Ukraine, ERR reported. Writing in a joint article published by the Estonian Foreign Ministry, the two ministers insisted that doing so would be both legal and just,…
Latvian Defence Minister Andris Spruds has welcomed the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission to Latvia in a ceremony at the Lielvarde Air Base of the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS), LSM reports. Latvia will host the mission for the next nine months during major reconstruction at Estonia’s Ämari Air Base. The mission’s other base at…
The Presidium of the Baltic Assembly has demanded “immediate efforts in Europe” to ensure total victory for Ukraine in the war against Russia, LSM reported. In their statement, the Baltic parliamentarians insisted that support for Ukraine must be “continuous, sufficient, timely, and far-sighted.” They warned other European parliaments not to underestimate the long-term impact on…
The Baltic Assembly and the Nordic Council have agreed on new priorities of cooperation at their annual summit in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, BNS reports. In the 2024-2026 period, the two parliamentary cooperation organisations will focus on supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction and on defence against cyber threats and disinformation. Also, the eight parliaments will promote democracy…
The speaker of Latvia’s parliament, the Saeima, Edvards Smiltens, met with a delegation of parliamentarians from Japan in Riga, LETA reports. The delegation was led by Hirofumi Nakasone, chairman of the Latvia and Lithuania friendship groups of the upper house of Japan’s parliament, the House of Councillors (Sangiin). The parliamentarians discussed bilateral economic cooperation and…
Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, plans to meet with Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, on 12 July 2023, The Japan Times reports. The meeting is set to take place on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Vilnius, government sources said. Kishida is expected to convey Japan’s readiness to increase support for…
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…
