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…
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who chairs the ruling Estonian Reform Party, expressed her will to remain as prime minister for four years, ERR reported. In an interview with Maaleht, Kallas said that she wanted to see the positive results of her government’s challenging decisions rather than just face criticism. Kallas dismissed rumours about running…
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have adopted a coordinated approach to improve the effectiveness of EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus, ERR reports. The prime ministers of the three Baltic States stressed the importance of a unified strategy, aiming to prevent fragmentation and serve as an example for other EU border countries. The joint effort includes…
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis expressed deep concerns about the West’s approach to Russian aggression against Ukraine, Euromaidan Press reported. In a Twitter thread, he warned against repeating historical mistakes and called for immediate action, urging the international community not to wait for a “Pearl Harbor effect.” Landsbergis criticised the 25-year attempt to contain Russian…
Latvia has extended altogether EUR 595mn of aid to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression, which is equal to 0.85% of Latvia’s GDP, Ukrinform reports. Bilateral military assistance to Ukraine amounts to EUR 370mn. Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins noted that Latvian support included macro-financial, humanitarian, and development aid. Also, Latvia has provided…
Latvia’s President Edgars Rinkevics and Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins strongly condemned the indiscriminate terrorist attacks by Palestinian group Hamas against Israeli citizens. They stressed that Israel had the right to defend its people. Latvia stands in solidarity with the people of Israel, Rinkevics stated. Karins insisted that the violence must stop. At the same time,…
Estonia’s President Alar Karis and Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna strongly condemned attacks by the Palestinian terrorist organisation, Hamas, against Israel, ERR reported. Tsahkna stated that Estonia stood in solidarity with Israel, which had a full right to defend itself and its people. Meanwhile, Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Estonian parliament,…
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics is paying a working visit to Finland on 28 September 2023, YLE reports. Speaking at a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, Rinkevics noted that Latvia and Finland were “like-minded countries” that were “facing similar geopolitical challenges.” The two presidents discussed bilateral relations, including a joint plan to begin…
Lithuanian footballers will not play against Russian teams, the Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF) stated, BNS reports. Earlier, the UEFA Executive Committee decided to readmit Russian youth teams to international competitions, while adult teams would remain disqualified until the end of the war in Ukraine. LFF president Edgaras Stankevicius said that the UEFA decision was “unexpected.”…