Lithuania

Latvia and Lithuania did not allow Slovak Prime Minister Fico to fly to Moscow, as did Estonia. The reason is participation in the Kremlin's propaganda event on May 9, which is incompatible with EU values.

lavrov criticized EU countries for obstructing visits by European leaders to moscow on May 9. He also accused the EU of double standards regarding Ukraine and Serbia.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania stated that the probability of an unstable peace in Ukraine, imposed by Russia with the support of the United States, is low. US mediation has shown that peace with the Russian Federation is unlikely.

Lithuania and Latvia did not allow the plane of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to fly through their airspace. He was planning to visit Russia on May 9.

Only 14 EU countries have formally requested increased defense spending, casting doubt on the European Commission's €800 billion ReArm Europe plan due to limited budgetary capacity.

Lithuanian conservatives propose building a high-tech defense line on the eastern border. It will include anti-personnel mines, anti-tank ditches, and long-range artillery, costing €1 billion.

Lithuania will revoke residence permits for Russians who visit Russia or Belarus more than once every three months. Exceptions include transit carriers and objective reasons.

A 59-year-old Georgian native is on trial in Greece for collecting data in the port of Alexandroupolis, which is key to helping Ukraine. He allegedly transmitted information to the GRU through a Georgian citizen in Lithuania.

On May 3, the Ukrainian national ice hockey team will play a match against Japan, a victory in which will allow them to play in the elite division for the first time in 18 years. Broadcast at 12:30 on «Suspilne Sport».

Georgia dropped 11 positions in the press freedom ranking due to the hostile environment for the media and attacks on journalists. Ukraine took 62nd place, and Russia – 171st, dropping by 9 lines.

Marta Kos declared her support for the opening of Cluster 1 for Ukraine and Moldova in the EU. The European Commission positively assesses Ukraine's progress in reforms for accession.

In 2024, almost 50,000 Ukrainians received certificates of proficiency in the state language. 18 audio guides and theatrical productions were launched abroad.

Against the backdrop of Russian aggression against Ukraine, 16 countries in the EU have initiated a request to activate the "exception clause". This should facilitate the transition to higher defense spending at the national level.

In 2024, more than 93 million people in the EU were at risk of poverty, with Bulgaria and Romania being the leaders. The lowest rates were recorded in the Czech Republic and Slovenia.

National Security Advisor Waltz stated that the US can no longer subsidize European security due to the large debt. Aid to Ukraine should be provided under the leadership of Europe.

European armies are understaffed and underfunded, making it difficult to create a deterrent force in Ukraine. Many countries are not ready to provide soldiers.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that russia is preparing something in belarus, hiding behind military exercises. He emphasized that countries bordering the russian federation should be ready for any events.

The government of Montenegro is initiating a review of all honorary citizenships granted to foreigners. The decision was made following the case of a businessman who is implicated in a case involving the embezzlement of more than €2.2 million.

The Cabinet approved an agreement with Latvia on mutual recognition and exchange of national driver's licenses. A similar agreement has been in effect with Lithuania since October 2023.

Latvian companies will supply 12,000 drones within the framework of the Drone Coalition. Support for the coalition to Ukraine in 2024 amounted to EUR 1.8 billion.

The President of Lithuania condemned the possible recognition of Crimea as Russian, calling it a "bomb". He stressed that the opinion of Ukraine, which has suffered aggression, should be taken into account first and foremost.

Власти Вильнюса обнародовали план эвакуации на случай военного вторжения, гибридных атак, ядерных угроз и стихийных бедствий. План разработан на основе опыта Украины и городов США.

Russian intelligence services organized a series of arson attacks in Europe, using parcels with incendiary devices disguised as ordinary goods.

NATO fighters were scrambled twice to identify and escort Russian aircraft that violated flight rules. Il-20 and Su-24 were identified on April 14 and 18.

Lithuania is creating a procedure for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools. By August, they plan to develop tools to support schools and reduce the administrative burden.

The Ministry of Defense received a batch of equipment from the IT coalition, funded by Luxembourg and Iceland, worth almost 2 million euros. The delivery included access points, routers, charging stations and telephones.

British Air Force fighters took off from Poland twice in 48 hours to intercept Russian aircraft. Russian military planes were approaching NATO borders over the Baltic Sea and near Kaliningrad.

Lithuania is modernising the Vilnius-Augustów road in the Suwałki Corridor for civilian and military needs. These works, planned to be completed by 2028, will improve logistics and mobility.

The first Ukrainian LGTBQIA+ film festival in Kyiv caused criticism due to the overlap with Easter holidays. The organizers called it a coincidence, and the police recorded gatherings of negatively inclined youth near the cinema without violations.

The Constitutional Court of Lithuania has ruled that restricting partnerships to only between a man and a woman is unconstitutional. Same-sex couples will be able to register partnerships through the court until the Seimas passes a law.