The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell sat down with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys during his visit to Kyiv on April 1 to discuss the future of Europe during U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, whether European sanctions remain an effective instrument to stop Russia’s war against Ukraine, and Lithuania's contribution to the "coalition of the willing."
As the U.S. chooses an increasingly hostile posture toward Europe, the U.K. and France have been gearing up to lead the continent's defense without Washington. French President Emmanuel Macron has coined the term "strategic autonomy," which envisions a self-sufficient Europe that can defend itself and export its agenda
"We all understand that when the war in Ukraine will be stopped, Russia will redistribute its forces very quickly. That means also the threat level will increase significantly very quickly," said Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur.
"The decisions in our local life won't be made by the citizens of the aggressor states, but we'll decide by ourselves," Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said after the March 26 vote.
Throughout Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, repeated and escalating warnings of the potential for a wider war have only raised fears in the Baltic states that they could be next in the crosshairs of the Kremlin. Talk about a potential Russian invasion is "very common at parties, gatherings, lunch breaks,
The Lithuanian prosecutor’s office alleges that Russia's military intelligence formed a special group to carry out arson attacks across Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia.
Russian presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev accused the alliance, particularly the U.K., of provoking instability in the region.
The Lithuanian parliament voted to exit the treaty last July, leading to Vilnius submitting documents for withdrawal in the autumn of that year. The six-month deadline for leaving the convention expired on March 6.
Lithuania has already invested 20 million euros ($21 million) in purchasing weapons for Kyiv from Ukrainian producers and will produce arms in cooperation with Ukraine, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on March 1.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia plans to deploy 15 divisions, totaling 100,000 to 150,000 troops, primarily in Belarus.
Lithuania will allocate nearly 32 million euros ($32.9 million) in 2025 to support the education of Ukrainians who have relocated to the country due to the war, Lithuanian broadcaster LRT announced on Feb. 9.
The EU "should boost independence even further and end all Russian energy imports," Karis said on Feb. 9. "We should even seriously consider a full trade embargo on Russia."
"This legacy of occupation meant that Moscow - which uses energy as a weapon - had control of the frequency," the ministry said in a statement on X. "That’s a critical element in maintaining reliable power supply. That dependency ends today!"
Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia will disconnect from Russia’s power grid this weekend and synchronize with the Western European network.
Lithuania's Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys reportedly described the shift as part of a "new era. " Vilnius committed to spending between 5% and 6% of its GDP on defense annually until at least 2030. Estonia followed suit, pledging to raise defense spending from 3.7% of GDP to 5%.
An underwater fiber optic cable belonging to the Latvian State Radio and Television Broadcasting Center (LVRTC) was significantly damaged on Jan. 26, reportedly due to external impact, according to LVRTC representative Vineta Sprugaine.
"We’d talk with our allies and partners about what it looks like, and we’d talk with Ukraine about what it looks like," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said.
The countries argue that a lower cap would further restrict Russia's ability to finance its war against Ukraine while avoiding significant disruptions to global oil markets.
Sakaliene's statement came shortly after the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT reported that thousands of drones, which were to be delivered to Ukraine several months ago, are still in Lithuanian warehouses as their delivery is delayed by bureaucratic obstacles.
Sweden will increase its military presence in the Baltic Sea through the deployment of three warships and a radar reconnaissance aircraft in response to the suspected sabotage of several underwater cables, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Jan. 12.
The Nordic Baltic Eight countries have urged Georgia to hold new elections following disputed parliamentary elections in October and the inauguration of the new president, according to their statement published on Dec. 29.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Dec. 27 that "NATO will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea" following the recent damage to the Estlink 2 power cable in the Gulf of Finland likely caused by Russia.
Lithuania's new ministerial cabinet arrived in Kyiv on Dec. 20, Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas said mere hours after Russia's missile attack against the capital.
While the Latvian Defense Ministry said that the drills are "not related to changes in the security environment," the exercises take place amid surging tensions between NATO and Russia.
Defense Minister Serhii Boiev held talks with representatives of the foreign ministries of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and Sweden to outline plans for military and financial assistance to Ukraine in 2025, the Defense Ministry reported on its website on Nov. 14.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced 170 million euros ($178 million) in financial support for six European countries bordering Russia and Belarus to bolster their border protection efforts.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal arrived in Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the PM said in a post on X on Dec. 9.
"In the coming months, we will step up our support, including to the Ukrainian defense industry, and we will invest in making more ammunition available to Ukraine," the joint statement read.
Estonia aims to narrow voting eligibility in local elections to exclude Russian and Belarusian citizens in order to counter Russian influence, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal told state broadcaster ERR on Nov. 4.
The "East Shield" program aims to fortify Poland's borders with Belarus, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
For Zygimantas Pavilionis, a member of the Lithuanian parliament, history is repeating itself: The Kremlin’s military sights are set on Europe beyond Ukraine and the U.S. is not listening to warnings from the Baltics. “In Europe, they listen to the Baltics, but in America, they are so arrogant
Lithuania announced this week it had blocked and fortified a bridge over the Nieman River linking it to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, the latest in a series of escalations in the Baltic Sea region. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine exacerbated fears of a potential open conflict between Moscow and
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