Baltic States
Eastern EU faces mounting demographic strain as populations shrink and age, Eurostat says
While the EU’s total population rose slightly, many eastern member states continued to lose population over the longer term through emigration, low fertility and high mortality rates.
EU’s foreign policy boss Kallas is undermining Europe’s credibility
Kaja Kallas has done it again. The EU’s top foreign policy high representative called China a “cancer” that needs decisive treatment with chemotherapy rather than temporary relief with morphine.
ASH: UK cocks up on Russian sanctions
At the least a PR disaster for the UK around its Russia sanctions regime. At the worst the UK has been pushed by Trump’s war on Iran to easing up sanctions on Russia.
Baltic deep tech outpaces the US, EU, and Nordics, driven by energy, robotics, and defence
The combined enterprise value of Baltic deep tech firms climbed from €2.6bn in 2021 to €7.5bn in 2025, a 2.88-fold increase unmatched elsewhere in Europe.
Lithuania’s PM apologises for communication failures during drone alerts
Nato air policing was activated, airspace above Vilnius Airport was temporarily closed, and train traffic in Vilnius County was halted after reports of an incoming drone.
Top Lithuanian officials take shelter after air alert after suspected drone approaches from Belarus
Defence ministry declared a “Red” alert in Vilnius county, ordering residents to take shelter.
Latvian PM candidate warns current spending is unsustainable
Andris Kulbergs says the country’s budget must be urgently reassessed amid mounting economic pressures.
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French AI giant acquires startup co-founded by Latvian entrepreneur
French artificial intelligence company Mistral AI has agreed to acquire Austrian startup Emmi AI, an industrial engineering technology firm co-founded by Latvian entrepreneur Miks Miksons.
airBaltic quarterly losses widen to €70.1mn despite passenger growth
CEO Erno Hilden acknowledged airBaltic is operating under liquidity pressure, but stressed the airline is still meeting all financial obligations.
Germany revamps its energy laws, but risks locking itself into decades of costly gas import dependence
Germany risks locking itself into decades of costly gas import dependence unless policymakers give battery storage equal treatment in upcoming power market reforms, energy think-tank Ember has warned.
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Latvian PM Silina resigns as coalition collapses amid political infighting
Resignation plunges Latvia into political uncertainty at a time of heightened regional security tensions and ahead of the parliamentary elections in October.
Norwegian companies mull €1bn hydrogen plant in Estonia
Hydrogen development across the Baltic states is accelerating as governments seek to reduce emissions, expand offshore wind capacity and cut dependence on Russian energy.
Latvian defence minister resigns after drone crash
Andris Spruds said he is stepping down to prevent political disputes from undermining confidence in Latvia’s armed forces.
Europe's rearmament programme is falling apart from the inside just when Ukraine needs it most
Europe's most ambitious attempt to coordinate its own defence — the €800bn ReArm programme launched with considerable fanfare in early 2025 — is being quietly undermined by the very governments that approved it.
The Iran war exposes fiscal fragility around the world
The Iran war has arrived at the worst possible fiscal moment for most of the world's major economies. Governments spent heavily on Covid, defence and two energy crises. Fiscal space across most of the developed world is limited or exhausted.
Europe funds the Ukraine conflict with debt, Russia with cash
How can Europe cover the $100bn the war in Ukraine costs? The EU just signed off on a €90bn loan for Ukraine agreed at a summit on December 19 to get it through the next two years. Europe doesn't have the cash. Russia does.
UK’s Lloyds to purchase Lithuania-licensed fintech firm Curve Europe
Lithuania has become an increasingly important gateway for fintech companies seeking access to the European market.
Swedbank slashes Lithuania growth forecast, predicts higher inflation
Inflation is now expected to be significantly higher than previously estimated.
Latvia’s BirdyChat launches across Europe
BirdyChat's platform is designed specifically for external business conversations with clients, suppliers and partners.
Europe’s power bottleneck shifts from supply to electricity grids
Europe’s energy challenge is increasingly centred on its ageing and fragmented electricity grids rather than a shortage of power generation, as rapid renewable energy expansion exposes weaknesses in transmission infrastructure and storage.