Lithuania

Finland

Latvia

Estonia

Poland

Belarus

Russia

Military & Security

Finland will close its last remaining open border crossing with Russia for at least two weeks following an uptick in illegal migration attempts that Finnish officials say Russia is facilitating in order to destabilize the country after joining NATO earlier this year, AP reported Nov. 29. 

Finland, Russia: Finland Closes Entire Border With Russia Over Migrant Concerns

Politics

Poland, Lithuania and Latvia said they will close their borders with Belarus completely if a "critical incident" involving Russian Wagner mercenaries or Belarusian troops occurs, Reuters reported on Aug. 28.

Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus: Poland and Baltics Threaten to Shut Belarusian Border

Ukraine

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Satellite images show that since Aug. 1, the Wagner mercenary camp in Asipovichy, Belarus, has reduced in size by about one-third, RFE/RL reported Aug. 24.

Belarus, Russia: Images Show Wagner Camp in Belarus Has Shrunk in Recent Weeks

Lithuania will close two out of six border crossing points with Belarus due to "geopolitical circumstances," Reuters reported on Aug. 16.

Europe: Baltics Tighten Security at Borders With Belarus

China

Lithuania's Transport Ministry is moving forward with plans to temporarily close two of the country's six border checkpoints with Belarus by Aug.15, LRT reported Aug. 9.

Lithuania, Belarus: Vilnius to Close One-third of its Border with Belarus Amid Wagner Threat

Luxembourg

Germany

Czech Republic

Denmark

Greece

France

Sweden

Belgium

Portugal

Austria

Slovakia

Slovenia

Netherlands

Spain

Italy

Hungary

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

The European Parliament voted in favor of the EU Nature Restoration Law, the European Commission's proposal to restore degraded land and biodiversity within the bloc, with supporters of the law narrowly defeating an attempt by conservative groups to sink it, Euractiv reported on July 12.

EU: European Parliament Backs EU Nature Restoration Law by Narrow Margin

The foreign ministries of Estonia and Latvia announced that they were terminating their participation in the 16+1 cooperation framework between China and central and eastern Europe that launched in 2012, Bloomberg reported Aug. 11.

China, Estonia, Latvia: Shrinking 16+1 Framework Weakens China's Europe Ties

COVID-19

Latvia announced a lockdown from Oct. 21-Nov. 15 to slow a spike in COVID-19 infections, Euractiv reported Oct. 19.

Latvia: Lockdown Measures Reintroduced as COVID-19 Infections Rise

Snapshots

United States

Europe

Malta

Cyprus

Rail cars loaded with steel sit at the ThyssenKrupp Schwelgern steel plant on May 30, 2018 in Duisburg, Germany. 

Economics

The European Union and the United States will increase efforts to deconflict their trade and climate policies ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential and EU parliamentary elections, but lingering disagreements will not allow for a complete respite of Trump-era tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.

EU-U.S. Steel and Aluminum Negotiations Make Limited Headway

A woman sits by the entrance to the GUM department store in central Minsk on February 14, 2023.

Though Belarus is showing economic recovery in the short term, a number of structural issues will undermine its long-term growth prospects.

Belarus' Tentative Recovery Won’t Ensure Future Growth -– Or Kick-Start the Opposition

Bulgaria

Croatia

Romania

A satellite image shows Europe at night.

Security

EU: Regional Blocs

The New Silk Road

Divided EU Foreign Policies

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

The move shows the White House remains committed to its security and economic engagements in the region, with an eye on countering China and Russia. 

The U.S. Ramps Up Financial Support to Central and Eastern Europe

Assessments

The Russian 9M729 intermediate-range cruise missile was developed in secret had been deployed in small numbers even before the IMF Treaty became defunct.

Echoes of the Cold War

The Fight for Russia’s Borderlands

Moscow would couple any new deployments of its intermediate-range missiles with rhetoric blaming the United States for the treaty's collapse and subsequent weapons buildups.

Russia Approaches a Post-INF Arms Race in Europe With Caution

Global Perspectives

Partner Perspectives

A post marks the beginning of Polish territory on its border with Lithuania.

The U.S. and its NATO allies are looking for new ways to deter Russian aggression against the Baltic states. But policymakers and defense planners have yet to agree on Moscow's intentions in the region.

Threading the Needle Through the Suwalki Gap

Columns

On Geopolitics

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (center) and representatives of the Three Seas Initiative take part in a summit on Sept. 18 in Romania.

In many ways, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have never had it so good economically and politically. But brewing problems to the east and west have given them cause for disquiet. 

The Baltic Nations Look Abroad and See Problems

Guidance

Latvian central banking chief Ilmars Rimsevics has said accusations that he accepted bribes are untrue.

With the country's third-largest bank teetering on the edge of insolvency and corruption accusations dogging its central banking chief, Russia stands ready to exploit any financial or political fallout.

What to Watch for as Two Banking Scandals Unfold in Latvia

Reflections

Montenegro

Georgia

With visits to Estonia, Georgia and Montenegro, the tour by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is meant to reassure nervous allies on the front lines of the Russia-West standoff.

On his visit to Europe's borderlands, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence reassured allies that Washington supports them against Moscow.

The U.S. Offers Cool Comfort as Tension With Russia Heats Up

Bosnia and Herzegovina

North Macedonia

United Kingdom

Serbia

Albania

Supply Chains

China in Transition

Despite its goal to foster integration throughout Eurasia, Beijing has so far emphasized bilateral or subregional agreements with its Belt and Road projects in Europe, an approach that has raised the suspicions of the bloc's central powers.

For China, All Roads (and Belts) Lead to Europe

China's Belt and Road Initiative

Azerbaijan

Turkey

Picking Up Where the West Leaves Off

Energy

Eastern European and Eurasian states will have to fend for themselves. 

A Wary Germany Keeps an Eye on the U.S. Transition

The direction of future White House policy will steer the future strategies of the EU leader.

EU Collapse Brexit London Brussels

Like all political creations, the European Union is a fleeting construction in the vast expanse of history. One day it will disappear, to be replaced by other entities, or it will continue in name only, looking and operating far differently than the European Union of today. It is impossible to know exactly when this transformation will happen or just how long the process will take.

Who Will Exit the EU Next?

Latvia is a country in Northeast Europe bordered by Estonia, Lithuania, Russia and Belarus. Latvia is mostly flat and contains primarily short rivers, with woodlands that cover around half of the country and few rivers that exceed 60 miles.     Riga is Latvia's most populated city, as well as its economic and political core. The city's strategic position on the Gulf of Riga, at the mouth of the Daugava river, has traditionally made it an important trading post in northern Europe. Indeed, Riga was a member of the Hanseatic League, a confederation of market towns, in the 13th century.     However, Latvia is also surrounded by major powers and is easy to invade. For centuries, Latvia was under the influence or direct control of its neighbors, including German crusaders, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian Empire. Latvia briefly became independent after World War I, but was absorbed by the Soviet Union during World War II and did not regain its independence until 1991.     Since then, Latvia has sought to integrate with the West. It joined the European Union and NATO in 2004, and the eurozone in 2014. Membership in these organizations forced Latvia to undergo rapid institutional modernization and economic liberalization. Currently, the country's economy relies primarily on exports.     Latvia's main geopolitical challenge has traditionally been preventing foreign aggression. In this regard, modern Latvia's primary concern is Russia. Latvia view membership with the European Union and NATO, as well as its ties with the United States, to guard against Russian interference. Still, Latvia imports the majority of its natural gas from Russia, and Russian money has a significant presence in Latvia's banking sector. Moreover, roughly a quarter of Latvia's population speaks Russian, and their status is often a source of friction between Russia and Latvia. 

SITUATION REPORTS

Finland, Russia: Finland Closes Entire Border With Russia Over Migrant Concerns

Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus: Poland and Baltics Threaten to Shut Belarusian Border

Belarus, Russia: Images Show Wagner Camp in Belarus Has Shrunk in Recent Weeks

Europe: Baltics Tighten Security at Borders With Belarus

Lithuania, Belarus: Vilnius to Close One-third of its Border with Belarus Amid Wagner Threat

EU: European Parliament Backs EU Nature Restoration Law by Narrow Margin

China, Estonia, Latvia: Shrinking 16+1 Framework Weakens China's Europe Ties

Latvia: Lockdown Measures Reintroduced as COVID-19 Infections Rise

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