Europe – Baltic

Photo story: The International Sand Sculpture Park in Jelgava, Latvia

Visitors look at the demo sculpture, a sand replica of Michelangelo's sculpture 'Pieta (The Pity)', made by Latvian sculptors Karlis Ile and Maija Ile at the International Sand Sculpture Park…

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Photo Story: City Festival in Kuldiga, Latvia

Members of Dutch Bicycle Orchestra perform during city festival in Kuldiga, Latvia. It had already become a tradition that on the third weekend of July, thousands of people go to…

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Estonian PM regains ruling majority, warns of tough times ahead

TALLINN (Reuters) - The new cabinet of Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas was sworn in on Monday, re-establishing political stability, but she warned of tough times ahead for the economy…

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Estonian parliament confirms PM Kallas to lead new government

The new Estonian coalition has voted to reappoint Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, in a move likely to ensure stability in the European Union state until a March 2023 election. The…

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UPDATED: Kremlin says work still to be done on EU Kaliningrad transit deal

MOSCOW, July 14 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Thursday there was still work to be done over a European Union ban on the transit of sanctioned goods to the Russian territory…

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Latvia president calls for compulsory military service for all

Latvia may have to increase it defence spending and introduce compulsory military service for its citizens regardless of their gender to contain any possible security risks arising from Russia, President…

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UPDATED: Lithuania widens curbs on Kaliningrad trade despite Russian warning

VILNIUS, July 11 (Reuters) - Lithuania on Monday expanded restrictions on trade through its territory to Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, as phase-ins on European Union sanctions against Moscow over its invasion…

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Lithuania bans flavoured e-cigarettes

A new law has just come into force in Lithuania where flavoured electronic cigarettes will no longer be available in the country The new ban aims to tackle the rise…

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UPDATED: Lithuania: We’re ready if Russia cuts us out of common power grid over Kaliningrad disruptions

VILNIUS, June 22 (Reuters) - Lithuania will be prepared if Russia disconnects it from the regional power grid in retaliation for blocking rail shipments of some Russian goods to Moscow's Kaliningrad exclave,…

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Baltic tensions rise as Estonia protests to Russia over airspace violation

(Reuters) - Estonia summoned the Russian ambassador on Tuesday to protest an "extremely serious" violation of its airspace by a Russian helicopter, the second time in less than two weeks…

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Moscow fumes over EU blockade of Baltic outpost

Russia summoned the European Union's ambassador in Moscow on Tuesday, fuming over a rail blockade that has halted shipments of many basic goods to a Russian outpost on the Baltic Sea,…

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Kaliningrad residents regret Lithuania’s ban on transit to Russian enclave

Kaliningrad region Residents sandwiched between EU and NATO members Poland and Lithuania, expressed fear and regret over Lithuania's transit ban announced on Monday. "Construction works will stop. Development of roads. It's all…

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UPDATED: Russia warns NATO-member Lithuania over Kaliningrad transit

LONDON, June 20 (Reuters) - Russia warned NATO member Lithuania on Monday that unless the transit of goods to Russia's Kaliningrad exclave on the Baltic Sea was swiftly restored then Moscow would…

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Latvia wants more NATO troops, fed up of “paying for lunch for the others”

BRUSSELS, June 16 (Reuters) - Latvia on Thursday made a last pitch for the deployment of more NATO troops in the Baltics, two weeks before NATO leaders are set to decide the…

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Lithuania parliament urges criminal prosecution of Russian leadership

VILNIUS, June 16 (Reuters) - The Lithuanian parliament on Thursday called for the criminal prosecution of Russia's leadership for its invasion of Ukraine and what it said is the wide-scale…

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Estonia PM set to regain majority in parliament

VILNIUS, June 11 (Reuters) - Estonian conservative opposition party Isamaa said on Saturday it would seek to join the Baltic country's government, putting Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and her liberal Reform Party…

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Sweden, Finland NATO membership would increase Baltic security – Estonia

BERLIN, May 16 (Reuters) - Sweden and Finland joining NATO would increase the security of the Baltic region, Estonian Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets said. "When we see that in our neighbourhood also other democratic…

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NATO chief says alliance will increase presence in Baltic sea if Sweden applies

NATO will increase it's presence around Sweden's borders and in the Baltic sea while a potential application to join the alliance is processed, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told Swedish public…

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Lithuania’s president calls for more NATO troops

VILNIUS, April 22 (Reuters) - NATO should increase its deployment of troops in Lithuania and elsewhere on Europe's eastern flank following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Lithuania's president told Germany's foreign…

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Estonia calls for EU sanctions on Russia oil and gas transport

TALLINN, April 21 (Reuters) - The European Union should impose trade sanctions on the transport of Russian oil and gas, Estonia's foreign minister said on Thursday. "The war against Ukraine must become…

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Lithuania bans using letter ‘Z’ in protest over Russia’s war in Ukraine

Lithuania's parliament on Tuesday voted to ban public displays of the letter "Z", the black and orange ribbon of St George, and other symbols seen as expressing support for Russia's…

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Lithuania says Russia already has nuclear weapons in the Baltic region

Russia already has nuclear weapons in the Baltic region, Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said. One of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest allies warned NATO on Thursday that if Sweden…

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Lithuania wants NATO to expand Baltic battalions into brigades

Lithuania wants the NATO battalions in the Baltic countries to be expanded into brigades, the country's defence ministry said on Monday. A brigade consists of several battalions of troops. Lithuania…

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Photo Story: Snow in Riga, Latvia

People walk at snowy park in Riga, Latvia, on Wednesday 06 April 2022. According to the data of the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Center, seven centimetres of snow was…

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Lithuanian MPs want to outlaw Russian military Z symbol

Two Lithuanian MPs have called on the country to ban displays of the Russian military 'Z' symbol following its invasion of Ukraine. Lawmakers are debating amendments to outlaw the black…

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Baltic nations expel ten Russian diplomats

VILNIUS, March 18 (Reuters) - Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania have expelled a total of ten Russian diplomats, the foreign ministries of the three Baltic countries said on Friday. Lithuania expelled four diplomats…

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Lithuania’s Prime Minister joins paramilitary volunteer force

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte was sworn in on Friday as a member of the Riflemen’s Union, a paramilitary volunteer force that supports the police and the…

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Estonian PM warns hard times lie ahead but ‘freedom is priceless’

European leaders have to be "honest" with their citizens about the negative effects that EU sanctions against Russia might bring upon people's daily life, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said…

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UPDATED: Lithuania tightens state of emergency, limits free speech

VILNIUS, March 10 (Reuters) - Lithuania imposed a stricter state of emergency on Thursday in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, limiting rights to free expression and peaceful assembly, in what critics…

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Moral duty to give Ukraine a membership perspective – Estonian PM

The European Union has a moral duty to give Ukraine a membership perspective, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told the European Parliament this morning. She said that Ukraine was not…

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Lithuania asks International Criminal Court to investigate war crimes in Ukraine

VILNIUS, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Lithuania's government announced on Monday it will ask prosecutors at the International Criminal Court to investigate "war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine". "There is new…

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Latvia allows its citizens to fight in Ukraine

VILNIUS, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Latvia's parliament voted unanimously on Monday to allow its nationals to fight in Ukraine if willing, the parliament said in a statement. "Our citizens who want to…

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In policy shift, Finland approves field guns export by Estonia to Ukraine

HELSINKI, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Finland is to allow neighbouring Estonia to export to Ukraine Soviet-origin howitzer field guns, which were previously sold to Estonia by Finland but could not legally be…

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U.S. troops in Latvia in warning to Putin

ADAZI MILITARY BASE, Latvia - The presence of U.S. and other NATO troops in Latvia sends a message to Vladimir Putin that Russia should stay away, Latvian Defence Minister Artis…

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Baltic nations plan to close airspace to Russian planes

VILNIUS, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The Baltic nations of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania have agreed in principle to close their airspace to Russian aircraft, Lithuanian Transport Minister Marius Skuodis said on Saturday.…

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Poland and Lithuania say Ukraine deserves EU candidate status due to ‘current security challenges’

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Ukraine deserves European Union candidate status, and Poland and Lithuania will support it in this goal, the presidents of the two countries said in a joint declaration…

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Estonia appeals for American fighter jets to the Baltics to defend its airspace

Estonia has asked the United States to send fighter jets to the Baltic states to defend their skies, amid worries that Russia could be poised for an attack on Ukraine…

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Putin is ‘enjoying himself’ with military build-up, Estonian premier says

Estonia's prime minister said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is enjoying the international attention generated by Russia's massive military drills on Ukraine's borders and is looking for a successful war…

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German army reinforcements reach Lithuania

RUKLA MILITARY BASE, Lithuania (Reuters) - A German army convoy of 130 soldiers and 60 vehicles reached Lithuania, bringing almost half of planned reinforcements for the country's German-led NATO battlegroup…

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Russia ‘likely’ to launch ‘limited’ military attack against Ukraine, says Estonian intelligence

Russia is continuing to move troops to the Ukrainian border and will likely launch a "limited" military attack against the country, the head of the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service said. The attack…

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Lithuania warns banks of cyber attacks, power cuts amid fears of war in Ukraine

Feb 16 (Reuters) - Lithuania's central bank has told the country's banks to prepare for power cuts and cyberattacks as Russia's standoff with Ukraine risks spilling over into a military conflict, according…

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German troops arrive to reinforce Baltics amid tensions over Ukraine

Lithuania, Feb 14 (Reuters) - A German military aircraft carrying troop reinforcements landed in Lithuania on Monday, the first of several planned NATO deployments amid fears in the region about…

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Lithuania prepares to take in refugees from Ukraine if needed

Lithuania would be ready to take in people fleeing war in Ukraine if Russia decided to invade its neighbour, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said this week. “While we do…

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UPDATED: NATO welcomes more U.S. forces to Romania, says reinforcing in east

CONSTANTA, Romania, Feb 11 (Reuters) - NATO will continue to reinforce its eastern flank amid a Russian military build-up on Ukraine's border but will also consider a longer-term presence in…

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China suspends Lithuanian beef imports as Taiwan row grows

BEIJING, Feb 10 (Reuters) - China has suspended imports of beef from Lithuania since Wednesday, the General Administration of Customs said, amid a growing trade spat with the Baltic nation…

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Lithuania seeks to make U.S. troop deployment permanent

RUKLA, Lithuania, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Lithuania will ask the United States to permanently station troops in the country to help boost security, the Baltic nation's president said on Wednesday.…

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The Netherlands to increase troops in Baltics

RUKLA, LITHUANIA, Feb 9 (Reuters) - The Netherlands will increase the number of its troops in a NATO battlegroup in Lithuania to 350 from 270, Dutch defence minister Kajsa Ollongren…

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NATO considers bolstering allies if Russian troops stay in Belarus

VILNIUS, Feb 7 (Reuters) - NATO is looking to increase its military presence in the Baltic states and Poland in case Russia keeps its troops in Belarus after a planned…

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U.S. deploys F-15 fighter jets to Baltics

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Six American F-15 jets landed in an Estonian airbase on Wednesday for deployment for a week and a half, as the NATO transatlantic military alliance reinforced its…

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Kaunas kicks off European Capital of Culture programme

Lithuania's second city officially launched itself as the European Capital of Culture 2022 on Saturday with an opening event showcasing its contemporaneity and cultural potential. Kaunas ECC programme kicked off…

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U.S. clears Baltic states to send U.S.-made weapons to Ukraine

The U.S. State Department has cleared Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to send U.S.-made missiles and other weapons to Ukraine, three sources familiar with the decision said, as President Joe Biden…

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Lithuania says Russian troops in Belarus pose “direct threat”

VILNIUS, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Russian troops arriving in Belarus for what Moscow and Minsk say will be joint military exercises are a direct threat to NATO member Lithuania, and…

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Mikhail Gorbachev accused of war crimes by six Lithuanian citizens

Relatives of victims of a 1991 Soviet crackdown against Lithuania's pro-independence government filed a civil lawsuit in Vilnius against former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, 90, claiming he failed to stop…

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Baltics in talks to increase NATO troops on their soil -Estonian PM

The Baltic States are talking to NATO allies about increasing military deployments on their soil to deter Russia, Estonia's prime minister told Reuters, and NATO's chief said any Russian attack…

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Taiwan to invest $200 million in Lithuania

Taiwan said it would create a $200 million fund to invest in Lithuanian industries and boost bilateral trade as it tries to fend off diplomatic pressure on the Baltic state…

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Lithuania extends migrant detention limit to a year

Migrants who cross into Lithuania from Belarus can be detained for up to a year, the Lithuanian parliament decided on Thursday, increasing an initial six-month detention limit. Eighty-one lawmakers backed…

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Biden pledges more military support for Central Europe, Lithuanian official says

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday promised Central European NATO members more military support as concern grows over a Russian troop build-up on the border with Ukraine, Lithuania's presidential advisor…

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