Lithuanian prosecutors accuse three foreign nationals of desecrating a monument to anti-Soviet resistance leader Adolfas Ramanauskas in January 2024 under orders from Russian military intelligence (GRU), BNS reports. The three suspects, now under custody, are two dual Estonian-Russian citizens and a Russian citizen residing in Tallinn. The group smeared the monument in the southern Lithuanian…
Latvia finally launched an early warning or cell broadcast system on 1 July 2025 after delays in the procurement process, LETA reports. The system was developed by Meditec for EUR 3.4mn under a contract with the Ministry of Interior’s Information Centre. The system will warn residents and visitors about natural disasters, military threats, or other…
Israel will soon open an embassy in Estonia, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced, ERR reports. Speaking at a joint press conference with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna in Tallinn, Sa’ar said that the opening of the embassy would strengthen economic and military cooperation between the two countries. Tsahkna noted that Israel was an important…
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, met with his Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts on a working visit to Riga and Vilnius, LSM reports. The foreign ministers discussed bilateral cooperation, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the situation in the Middle East. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze expressed hope for more permanent solutions in Israel’s relations with Lebanon…
Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service (VSAT) has reported a sharp rise in secondary migration via Latvia, BNS reports. Altogether 352 irregular migrants who entered Latvia from Belarus were detained in Lithuania and Poland in the first half of 2025, which was up 2.5 times from 140 in the same period of 2024. Most of the…
Latvian ministries have submitted 250 proposals for spending cuts, Finance Minister Arvils Aseradens announced, LSM reports. Ministries have suggested cuts in remuneration, subsidies, goods and services, and other expenditure. The proposals would reduce public sector spending by EUR 150mn in 2026, the Finance Ministry estimated. The ministry targets cumulative spending cuts of up to EUR…
Estonia will have to borrow more to raise defence spending above 5% of GDP, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated, ERR reports. Speaking in an interview with Vikerraadio, Tsahkna said that Estonia would try to obtain as much financing as possible under the EU’s SAFE instrument. The Finance Ministry is now analysing how much SAFE funding…
Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, will hold a ceremony on 3 April 2025 to honour four US soldiers who died during a military exercise at the Pabrade training area in eastern Lithuania, BNS reports. The ceremonial cortege will proceed through the city centre and will be met by Archbishop Gintaras Grusas, President Gitanas Nauseda, Defence Minister Dovile…
Latvia’s relations with the US are deep and positive, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze assured, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview with LTV, Braze noted said that US President Donald Trump’s administration appreciated Latvia for being a good ally and for not engaging in public “loud rhetoric.” Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met…