Defence
Crimea
Uncategorized
Europe’s last dictator comes in from the cold
Lukashenko’s fortunes have changed. Once known as “Europe’s last dictator,” he has won friends in Europe, while antagonizing his traditional ally, Russia. It’s a situation that has left the Kremlin in a difficult positon: should it punish Belarus for its pro-Western tendencies? Or should it continue to prop up the Belarusian economy rather than risk further unrest in the region? […]
CORPORATE
What could Russians have been doing on Lithuanian shores?
Russian OMRP Spetsnaz units may have landed on the coast of Juodkrantė two years ago. This suggestion by the chairman of the parliamentary National Security and Defence Committee Artūras Paulauskas, has caused considerable turmoil and concern. […]
Uncategorized
Nina Khrushcheva: Putin is a brilliant tactician, but a losing strategist
Each Russian leader picks a subject he is an expert in and Vladimir Putin‘s subject is history. “That is why in order to understand Russia, we must understand Russian history,” says Professor Nina Khrushcheva of the New School University in New York. […]
Opinion
Opinion: How the Kremlin infiltrated an EU referendum in the Netherlands
The student leaders of 1968 could probably not have imagined how their democratic ideas would be high-jacked by a combination of extremists and opponents of democracy exploiting technological progress and social media. Nobody understands the dangers of technology and social media better than dictators and demagogues. […]
Foreign affairs
Crimean Tatars ‘the new enslaved people of Europe’, says Landsbergis
Tatars of Crimea are “the new enslaved people in today’s Europe”, says Lithuanian statesman Vytautas Landsbergis. […]
Foreign affairs
Lithuania to advocate for Crimean Tatar rights at UNESCO Executive Council
The Lithuanian government agreed on priority issues the country will raise during its term at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Executive Council. These will include the safety of reporters and the rights of the Crimean Tatar community, according to approved guidelines for the 2015-2019 period. […]
Opinion
Russia’s new election tactics: Why the Kremlin no longer needs ballot-stuffing
Numerous clever tricks and a slew of political parties loyal to Russia’s government now ensure the “right” election result long before any votes are cast. And this means that the election count can be shown to be fair, and at the same time managed by individuals who are widely trusted and respected. […]
Defence
NATO won’t trade Eastern European security for Russia’s help in fighting terrorism
NATO will not renounce additional security measures in Eastern Europe in exchange for Russia’s potential assistance in fighting terrorism, a top NATO official said in Vilnius on Thursday. […]
European Union
EU to extend individual sanctions over Ukraine conflict
The European Union will extend sanctions against Russian and Ukrainian individuals over the conflict in Ukraine until September, EU sources said on Wednesday. […]
Opinion
Minister Linas Linkevičius: NATO should stop feeding the Russian troll
NATO-Russian relations are where they are, at historic lows, because of what Moscow does, not because of how Western nations react to it, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius argues in an op-ed piece for Politico. Russia needs to prove it deserves to be spoken to, while holding meetings for the sake of meetings will be counter-productive. […]
Foreign affairs
US extends sanctions on Russia for another year
US President Barack Obama has announced that the US will extend its sanctions against Russia for another year. The sanctions were initially implemented in March of 2014 response to the annexation of Crimea and the destabilisation of Ukraine. […]
Opinion
Lithuania’s key role in countering Russian A2/AD challenge to Baltics
Concepts of military strategy and doctrine have long influenced the political and military geography of the Baltic region. […]
CORPORATE
Poland to challenge rules of Europe’s foreign policy game
Across Europe all eyes have been on Poland‘s conservative Law and Justice Party since they dramatically swept back into power. After securing a majority in the Polish parliament, the party swiftly put their power to use, launching controversial reforms of the country’s Constitutional Court and increasing control over state media, in the process drawing comparisons with Viktor Orban’s Hungary. […]
Opinion
Opinion: Lithuania ‘vulnerable’ but NATO presence can provide deterrent
One cannot choose one’s neighbours. We have been assigned ours by history and geography. Lithuania has not been dealt a good hand. Although historic threats from Germany have retreated, Russia remains a dangerous neighbour. Lithuania will be vulnerable until Russia undergoes a radical transformation. […]
CORPORATE
Abromavičius resignation should trigger re-evaluation of Kiev ties
It is little wonder that the resignation of Aivaras Abromavičius, Ukraine’s Lithuanian-born Minister of Economy, has created a political uproar and a government crisis. The move should also encourage Lithuania and like-minded countries to sharpen policies towards Kiev. […]
Defence
Bigger US military budget means more troops for Lithuania, Olekas says
After official announcement of the US plans to quadruple its defence budget for Europe, Lithuania’s Defence Minister Juozas Olekas says this would mean deployment of a larger number of US troops and equipment in Lithuania. […]
CORPORATE
Partnership with Poland should be Lithuania’s key foreign policy priority, says former ambassador to US
Many in Lithuania have been criticizing Poland‘s new government, but former Lithuanian ambassador to the US Žygimantas Pavilionis believes that the return of a strategic partnership between Poland and Lithuania should be our greatest foreign policy priority. According to Pavilionis, those now criticising the Polish government are the same people that accepted Barack Obama‘s attempts to reset the US relationship with Russia and improve the EU’s relationship with Russia. […]
Uncategorized
The Kremlin’s view: why Baltic countries now pose a threat to Russia
Russian propagandists were not long ago deriding the inability of Baltic States to defend themselves but are now seeing something different: a threat to Russia. […]