US defence officials urged the Baltic States to tone down their rhetoric on the threat posed by Russia, arguing that some statements had undermined European security, Reuters reported. One of the US officials was Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary of Defence for Policy at the US Defence Department, who insisted on not “poking” Russia. He pointed…
Lithuania’s State Defence Council has decided to introduce universal military conscription in 2032, President Gitanas Nauseda announced, BNS reports. Universal conscription will apply to men ages 18 to 22 years, replacing the current selective draft. Women will still be able to volunteer for military service. Nauseda said that about 7,500 young men would be drafted…
Estonia plans to build about 150 bunkers in the northeastern Ida-Virumaa county along the border with Russia, Defence Minister Martin Herem announced, BNS reported. Speaking in the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, Herem said that the bunkers would be part of the Baltic Defence Line. Around 100 of the bunkers would be on state land and…
Baltic officials were mostly critical of Finnish President Alexander Stubb’s and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna insisted that “every contact with Russia must convey Europe’s unity and determination to support Ukraine and maintain pressure on Russia,” ERR reported. He called for increased…
The Latvian government has extended a ban on chartered bus tours to Russia and Belarus for one year until 31 October 2027, LSM reports. The ban applies to all bus operators, regardless of the country of registration of the vehicle. The government pointed to the need to ensure the safety of residents and the risk…
Russia was likely responsible for an arson incident at a storage facility for satellite communications equipment in Lithuania on 18 October 2026, Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius announced, LRT reports. He said that incendiary liquids and containers were found at the facility, which stored satellite antennas and a control unit for Starlink equipment. Vilmantas Vitkauskas,…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved in first reading a constitutional amendment that would abolish a ban on weapons of mass destruction, BNS reports. The amendment would allow deploying nuclear weapons on Lithuanian territory. Parliamentary speaker Juozas Olekas argued that removing the ban would strengthen Lithuania’s resilience and deterrence. Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said…
Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has opened an administrative inquiry into financial gifts that Julija Stepanenko, leader of the pro-Russian opposition party, Sovereign Power, received from her father, Russian businessman Sergey Fedotov, Baltic News Network reports. Earlier, Stepanenko declared having received EUR 420,000 in gifts from her father, whose company has supplied equipment…
Altogether 12,294 Lithuanian citizens returned to Lithuania while 11,753 moved away from the country in the first nine months of 2026, according to the State Data Agency’s preliminary statistics, LRT reported. In September 2026, the number of emigrants was higher than that of returnees. Until now, the number of Lithuanians returning home has been higher…
