Lithuania’s relationship with Ukraine is growing increasingly sensitive, sincere, and close, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said, BNS reports. Speaking to a large crowd outside the Presidential Palace in Vilnius after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Nauseda stressed that Ukraine must emerge victorious in the war with Russia because the security of the whole…
Lithuania’s state-owned airport operator, Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LTOU), plans to invest another EUR 250mn in 2025-2052, according to a study drawn up by Dutch aviation consultancy NACO, BNS reports. Under the plan, LTOU would invest around EUR 180mn in developing Vilnius International Airport, EUR 50mn in Kaunas Airport, and EUR 20mn in Palanga…
Retailers in Estonia expect declining sales in the first half of 2024 amid lower consumer confidence, ERR reports. Many consumers plan to go shopping in neighbouring countries due to the rise in the VAT rate from 20% to 22% as of 1 January 2024, according to a Norstat poll for Citadele bank, BNS reports. The…
Passenger rail service from Estonia’s second-largest city, Tartu, to the Latvian capital, Riga, could begin in the second half of 2025, according to Estonian passenger rail operator Elron, LETA reports. Latvia’s passenger train operator, Pasazieru Vilciens (Vivi), has proposed opening a rail link from Riga to Tartu in spring 2025. Latvia’s Transport Minister, Kaspars Briskens,…
Lithuania will purchase multifunctional artillery radar systems from the Dutch defence contractor, Thales Nederland, for EUR 126.7mn, BNS reports. The first Thales GM200 MM/C radar systems are due to be delivered by 2026. The agreement includes cooperation in multifunctional radar support between Lithuania and the Netherlands, with potential involvement of the Lithuanian defence industry in…
Latvia will deport at least 1,167 Russian citizens who failed to comply with the immigration law and apply for permanent residence permits, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) told LETA. Of the total, 789 are over 60 years old. Those subject to expulsion will have 30 days to leave Latvia if they fail…
Six European gas transmission system operators, including Gasgrid Finland, Estonia’s Elering, Latvia’s Conexus Baltic Grid, Lithuania’s Amber Grid, Poland’s Gaz-System, and Germany’s ONTRAS, have signed a contract with AFRY Management Consulting for a pre-feasibility study on the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor, The Baltic Times reports. The project aims to develop cross-border hydrogen transmission infrastructure from Finland…
Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins asserts that even if Ukraine regains control of all conquered territories, Russia will still remain a military threat to Europe, LETA reports. He argued that Russia’s government was rooted in imperialist ambitions and saw external enemies as a means to distract from domestic issues. Karins highlighted the changing security landscape…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has passed a resolution calling on NATO to invite Ukraine as a new member at the defence alliance’s next summit in Washington in July 2024, BNS reports. The unanimous resolution noted that Ukraine was a provider of security that would strengthen NATO. The MPs pointed out that having Ukraine as…