Baltic States
EU faces worst wildfire season on record as over 1mn hectares burn
The European Union is enduring its most severe wildfire season since records began, with more than 1.01mn hectares of land scorched so far this year,
Peace turns on possible new Western security deals for Ukraine
Mixed results for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy following the historic meeting with US President Donald Trump and seven European leaders on August 18 in the White House.
High stake talks in Washington between Trump, Zelenskiy and EU leaders
Following the underwhelming Alaska summit, US president Donald Trump has invited five European leaders, NATO, and the EU to the Oval Office as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to close a deal that could end the war on August 18.
European beekeepers oppose higher duty-free honey imports from Ukraine
The European Beekeeping Association (EBA) has called on the European Commission to delay a planned increase in duty-free honey imports from Ukraine, warning that the move risks worsening pressure on the EU’s honey market.
Europe overtakes US as main supplier of military aid to Ukraine
Europe, including the United Kingdom, has outstripped the United States in total military aid to Ukraine for the first time since mid-2022, with a growing share of support sourced directly from defence industry production rather stockpiles.
Lithuania faces government reshuffle as ruling Social Democrats tap Ruginiene for PM
Party hopes for a fresh start with young female candidate after damage caused by revelations of ex-PM Gintautas Paluckas' shady business dealings.
Latvia declares nationwide 'state of emergency' over extreme farming conditions
Latvia's government has decided to implement an agricultural emergency across the country, lasting until November 2025, in response to climate change.
US effective tariff rate at 17% after July duties adjustment - Fitch
The United States’ effective tariff rate (ETR) has settled at 17% following the latest reciprocal duty announcements on July 27 and July 31, according to Fitch Ratings.
Renewables make up Dutch power supplies for the first time - OWID
For the first time, in 2024, more than half of the electricity produced in the Netherlands came from renewable sources, and almost all of it (45%) from solar and wind.
Lithuanian PM Paluckas to step down amid allegations of shady business dealings
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda confirmed on the morning of July 31 that the Social Democratic Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas is stepping down, following a series of controversies and possible law infringements.
Trump Administration's trade deals so far - Statista
On July 27, the United States and the European Union agreed on a trade deal that is lowering tariffs of 30% on European goods threatened by August to 15%, including on cars.
Estonia invites US defence chief Pete Hegseth to take a dip in icy winter training
Estonia’s Minister of Defence, Hanno Pevkur, extended a rather brisk invitation to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth – to join Nato troops for a winter training exercise and take a dip in an icy lake.
COMMENT: Trump’s energy deal with the EU is delusional – Reuters
The energy deal that US President Donald Trump cut with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over the weekend is unrealistic, argues Clyde Russell, Reuters Asia Commodities and Energy Columnist.
Signet Bank launches first Baltic bond fund in Latvia
Signet Asset Management Latvia of Signet Bank Group has established the Signet Baltic Bond Fund, described as the first open-ended mutual fund of its kind in the Baltic region
Belarus drone breach prompts diplomatic protest from Lithuania
a Russian-made Gerbera drone entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus and crashed about one kilometer inside Lithuania, close to the closed Šumskas border checkpoint.
US YouTube star IShowSpeed stuns Lithuania in €30,000 visit, sniffs an official’s armpit
Internet personality Darren Jason Watkins, American – better known as IShowSpeed – arrived in Lithuania on July 15, and was welcomed at the airport by Minister of the Economy Lukas Savickas,
EXPLAINER: Ukraine's EU accession path
The war is not an obstacle to Ukraine's membership of the EU, and most of the EU members states have thrown their support behind getting Ukraine into the club as fast as possible.
Baltic States face surge in fatal overdoses as nitazenes flood region
A powerful and little-known synthetic opioid called nitazene is fuelling a deadly drug crisis across the three Baltic States, with Estonia reporting a threefold rise in overdose deaths in recent years.
CEE healthcare remains attractive as private equity investors branch out into dental and pet care
Two decades after private equity firms first started to bet big on Central Europe’s private healthcare, the sector remains a magnet for investors, who are also eyeing deals in adjacent sectors.
Migration pushes EU population to record high, but CEE countries continue to shrink
Immigration outweighed the natural population decline in 2024 in just three of the newer EU member states – Croatia, Czechia and Slovenia.