Latvia’s Latvians and Russian-speakers continue to hold completely opposite views on the war in Ukraine, according to an SKDS poll for Ir magazine, LSM reports. The survey showed that 78% of Latvian-speakers supported Ukraine in April 2023, while only 27% of Russian-speakers did so. In mixed households, just 32% supported Ukraine, which was down from…
The decision of NATO’s Vilnius summit not to invite Ukraine to join the alliance reflects the view of the leaders of the bigger Western countries on how the war in Ukraine may end, Estonian MP Raimond Kaljulaid (SDE), head of the Estonian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, says. Writing in an opinion piece for…
Latvia’s State Revenue Service (VID) has decided to shut down the business operations of Klaugu Muiza, which is ultimately owned by sanctioned Russian billionaire Pyotr Aven, LETA reports. At the same time, VID banned any reorganisation of the company and change of board members. The company owns the Klaugu Manor in Lazdona parish. The EU…
Following Latvia’s initiative, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE PA) has declared Russia a state sponsor of terrorism, Baltic News Network reports. Also, the declaration sharply condemns Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and urges OSCE member states to support the creation of a special tribunal to investigate…
An administrative court in Latvia has upheld the decision of the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) to annul the broadcasting license of the independent Russian TV channel, Dozhd (TV Rain), TVNET reports. Dozhd announced that it would appeal the ruling in all instances, including in the European Court of Human Rights if necessary. Dozhd…
Ukraine’s future is in NATO, and the country will join the defence alliance, Latvia’s Prime Minister, Krisjanis Karins, stated, Baltic News Network reports. Speaking at the opening of the newly-formed NATO-Ukraine Council, Karins said that the longer Russia continued the war in Ukraine, the more united NATO would become. He said that there were two…
Russian President Vladimir Putin was wrong when he thought that the war in Ukraine would break NATO unity, US President Joe Biden said in a speech at Lithuania’s Vilnius University on 12 July 2023, LETA reports. “Putin thought that democratic leaders would be weak, but he thought wrong,” Biden stated. He assured that the US…
Organisers of a campaign in Lithuania to call ordinary people in Russia and discuss the war in Ukraine has been suspended, following a public outcry, LRT reports. Locals organised to cover posters of the campaign in Vilnius. Tomas Balzekas, head of Lithuania’s 15min news website and news agency BNS, said that the “Call Russia” campaign…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed new security commitments from G7 countries, but noted that they were no substitute for NATO membership, BNS reports. Speaking at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, Zelensky said that the G7 security guarantees paved Ukraine’s way to NATO. He expressed confidence that Ukraine…