NATO's ability to rapidly deploy up to 500,000 troops to its eastern borders in response to Russian aggression depends on overcoming obstacles such as bureaucracy and fragile rail infrastructure, especially in Germany.
As of February 2024, 4. 2 million Ukrainians, accounting for 98% of all recipients, have been granted temporary protection in the EU since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Lithuania has offered to dismantle its closed thermal power plants and provide Ukraine with spare parts to help rebuild energy facilities damaged by Russian attacks.
German fighter jets intercepted a Russian spy plane flying without a transponder over the Baltic Sea on April 6.
Ukraine proposes to ban air transit to Russia and Belarus to prevent Russian businesses and tourists from using EU airspace and to increase sanctions pressure on the aggressor.
According to the German Ministry of Defense, Russia is likely responsible for persistent disruptions to global navigation satellite systems in the Baltic region, including electromagnetic interference originating in Kaliningrad.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonite said that Western military instructors could go to Ukraine to train Ukrainian soldiers if proper air defense is provided, and that experts could help with cybersecurity, demining, and border protection.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda to discuss continued defense cooperation, sanctions and confiscation of Russian assets, humanitarian aid, and Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO.
Lithuania will allocate 15 million euros for rehabilitation programs for wounded Ukrainian soldiers and purchase 3,000 drones for Ukraine.
The prime ministers of Lithuania and Ukraine discussed further sanctions against Russia, preventing the bypassing of the Belarusian or other schemes, and confiscation of frozen Russian assets in favor of Ukraine.
Lithuania plans to purchase about 3,000 FPV drones worth 2 million euros for Ukraine.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal met with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonite to discuss military-technical cooperation, Ukraine's European integration, confiscation of Russian assets, and increased restrictions on Russian goods and services.
Eurostat reported that inflation in the Eurozone fell to 2. 4% in March, with the lowest rates in Lithuania and Finland and the highest in Croatia and Estonia.
The Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine outside the EU needs more funding, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said, calling on allies to provide more money to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression.
Lukashenko's statement about preparing troops for possible hostilities is most likely an attempt to help Putin with words, not deeds.
Vice Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Paulius Saudargas arrives in Kyiv to meet with Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk to discuss defense support for Ukraine.
In 2023, more than 7,000 departure orders were issued to Russian citizens, 34% more than in 2022, with Germany expelling the most Russians - 2,000.
Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation on the border with Belarus, preparing to respond to possible scenarios and reinforcing the border, but so far the situation remains stable.
44 countries support the creation of a special tribunal to investigate and prosecute the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine, and the Netherlands has offered to host it.
About 200 applications have already been submitted to the Register of Damages, the first element of the mechanism for compensation for damage caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine.
The Belarusian army has a serious potential with destructive capabilities, such as the Polonez MLRS, which can threaten NATO, the Baltic states and Poland, but it lacks recent combat experience, a military expert believes.
According to the State Border Guard Service, there are currently no signs of a build-up of Russian strike groups in Belarus.
During his visit to Hrodna, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that Minsk does not want to threaten other countries, but his country is preparing for war.
belarus has launched military exercises in the regions bordering Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland to assess readiness, improve skills and prepare personnel for territorial defense tasks.
On the anniversary of Lithuania's accession to NATO, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said that today's goal should be to help Ukraine win.
UNESCO has approved an emergency assistance program to monitor and address the environmental damage caused by Russia's destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine, mobilizing more than $66 million to restore Ukraine's cultural heritage, education and science affected by Russian aggression.
The Lithuanian Parliament authorized the purchase and transfer of drones with Chinese components to Ukraine to support its fight against Russian aggression.
Baltic leaders call on NATO members to reintroduce conscription and significantly increase military spending to Cold War levels to deter potential Russian aggression.
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein visited Bucha in Kyiv region to see the aftermath of Russian atrocities and discuss regional cooperation with the Kyiv authorities.
The European Commission is preparing to impose tariffs on grain products from Belarus and Russia to prevent Russian grain from destabilizing the European market, stop Russia from profiting from exports to the EU, and ensure that illegally exported stolen Ukrainian grain does not enter the EU market.
