Baltic States in April 2026: the most important developments in politics
In the Baltic States in April 2026, the political debate was shaped by the statements of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, an Estonian, on Ukraine, Russia and relations with the United States. On 9 April Kallas expressed offense at US criticism, and on 24 April she responded to US criticism of Europe by saying that Orbán-style vetoes undermine EU democracy and expressing hope for a reset in transatlantic relations. On 21 April she criticized some EU partners for their stance on Ukraine and urged stronger support, and on 25 April she dismissed claims by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as propaganda. Estonian President Alar Karis said Europe made a mistake at the start of the war in Ukraine, without saying what it was.
Relations with Russia and Ukraine took several forms. Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia each denied Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's plane permission to cross their airspace on the way to Moscow's Victory Day parade, and Fico said he would still attend. The Baltic states rejected a Russian claim that they had allowed airspace for Ukrainian strikes, while Estonia recommended that Ukraine use different drone corridors after repeated breaches of its airspace. Estonian politicians said remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Baltics echoed Kremlin lines. Estonia proposed a lifetime Schengen ban for Russian soldiers, and the Baltic states and Poland sought more EU funding for eastern border security.
Domestic politics also moved. In Estonia, the opposition submitted a bill for direct presidential elections; the government rejected the EU equal pay directive on 16 April and on 22 April adopted parts of it. In Lithuania, the ruling coalition was expected to hold together despite a dispute over a military training ground, though the Seimas speaker said it was split on defence priorities. Former Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis suspended his party membership after prosecutors sought to remove his immunity.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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