December / 2025 Baltics Next Month Newsletter

Eastern Flank to Coordinate in Helsinki

On the 16th of December, the EU’s “Eastern Flank Summit” will take place in Helsinki. Later in the week, the European Council gathers, which will focus on security, and most states on the EU’s Eastern Flank are anticipating long-term commitments on defence spending. However, illiberal leadership of the Central European states is making the coordination among the Eastern Flank increasingly difficult. With the Summit, Finland aims to ensure that the EU’s “Defence Readiness 2030 Roadmap” reflects the realities of the EU’s eastern border. To demonstrate the support, the Baltic States, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Sweden are sending representatives at the highest level. Their ability to formulate a constructive position before meeting the Central European leaders opposing a coherent defence spending plan at the EU Council will demonstrate whether the coordination among Europe’s Eastern Flank is still possible.

More Trains to Poland, Same Old Transfer

From the 14th of December, Lithuania’s rail operator LTG Link will increase its services to Poland from one to three trains a day, framing the move as a win for sustainable travel. Yet there is still no direct Vilnius–Warsaw train. Passengers will continue to make transfer at the border station Mockava, which many have found inconvenient and discouraging. As Polish outlet Rynek Kolejowy reported in May, Poland has shelved the plan to run its own long-distance trains between the two capitals, stating Lithuania’s section of the Rail Baltica gauge lacks the traffic control equipment needed for regular passenger services. In practice, this means no direct passenger trains, and Rail Baltica will serve only freight business for the foreseeable future. Freight and military mobility may fit today’s geopolitical priorities, but one is left wondering how much longer commuters between the two European capitals will be changing trains at a depot in the middle of the woods.

Latest Push for Lithuania’s Gender-Neutral Partnership

A cross-party group in Vilnius has submitted a so-called Civil Partnership Bill, which is expected to surface on the Parliament’s agenda very soon. Gender-neutral partnership was incorporated into Lithuania’s Civil Code twenty years ago. However, the regulations needed to make the civil union work in practice have been continuously postponed and still aren’t there yet. In April 2025, the Constitutional Court assessed the situation as intolerable and discriminatory. Its ruling opened a legal path to register civil unions in the absence of legislation by approaching courts. The ruling coalition’s leading party, the Social Democrats, then pledged to adopt amendments by the end of 2025—the recent proposal is their last push to deliver on their promises. The Parliament is expected to adopt the bill this time. The question is, will it provide real freedoms and will Lithuania catch up with its Baltic peers that already recognise same-sex partnerships, or will the proposal be edited down to a level where citizens will have to continue claiming court-registered civil unions?

Latvia to Differentiate VAT on Books and Press by Language

In an effort to safeguard its language, Latvia has moved to raise the value-added tax on Russian-language publishing. Currently, all of Latvia’s publishers pay the VAT at the reduced five-percent rate. The proposal to exclude the Russian language publishers from the exemption is included in the second reading of the state-budget package, which is due for consideration on the 3rd of December. The hastily formulated amendment lists languages (Latvian, Latgalian, Livonian, and those of EU, EEA and OECD member states) that would keep the reduced VAT rate, leaving all others taxed at the standard 21-percent. Despite ambiguities reported by LSM, for instance, it’s not clear how bilingual publications should be taxed, the amendment is expected to come into effect on the 1st of January, 2026. Recent Baltic history, however, demonstrates that hasty language-related measures lead to unpredictable consequences. Mostly, because they are susceptible to disinformation.

From ‘Džunglitelegraaf’ to ‘Digistress’

Estonia’s new Standard Written Estonian Dictionary (Õigekeelsussõnaraamat) lands in December 2025, becoming the baseline for written-language norms from the 1st of January 2026. Compilers say the update finally reflects how people actually use Estonian today — adding around 1,500 new words and offering fresh guidance on spelling, declension and usage. Among the ‘newcomers’ are digital-stress (digistress), femicide (feminitsiid), spoofed website (libaveebileht), grapevine (džunglitelegraaf), beta-generation (beetapõlvkond) and sidewalk robot (kõnniteerobot)—a snapshot of 21st-century Estonian life in words. While discussions about what should be part of the standard language are far from settled, the edition presents a clear portrait of contemporary language. It also underlines that it’s possible to modernise the lexicon without sacrificing the distinctive features, such as compounding, that make Estonian unique.

Overdue Verdict in Landmark Antisemitism Case

On the 4th of December, Vilnius Regional Court will deliver a verdict in the long-running trial of Remigijus Žemaitaitis, a Member of Parliament who is currently leading the right-wing populist party Dawn of Nemunas (Nemuno Aušra), which is a junior partner in Lithuania’s ruling coalition. In 2023, he published an antisemitic note on Facebook and was later charged with incitement to hatred and denying the significance of the Holocaust. The proceedings dragged on for months while the political party he leads has gradually become central to the ruling coalition’s stability. Even though the antisemitic trope is just one of his many transgressions attracting public scrutiny, the verdict will be closely watched both domestically and abroad. Diplomats have issued statements. More recently, local cultural workers were referring to his antisemitic remarks while engaging in a months-long confrontation over his party taking control of the Ministry of Culture. On the whole, the trial has become a significant test of Lithuania’s ability to hold politicians accountable.

Uncertainty Surrounds Sigulda Luge World Cup

The January 2026 Luge World Cup which is to take place in Sigulda faces uncertainty as Latvia maintains a strict ban on Russian athletes. The country’s legislation prohibits any of Russia’s citizens from competing on its territory, even under neutral status. Such a stance, however, directly contradicts a recent ruling of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, requiring international federations to allow Russian competitors to participate as neutrals. For now, parties are exploring their options to ensure the Sigulda World Cup can proceed. As Luge is Latvia’s favourite, and the Winter Olympics are approaching, its pilots are keen to keep the event on home ice, where they traditionally perform strongest. But unless a compromise is found very soon, it may have to be relocated to another country.

The Newsletter Baltics Next Month is produced by human beings at fixers.press. The descriptions of the selected events and the contacts offered represent a subjective view of the developments lay any claims to be the only perspective. If you wish to report a mistake, or for any further inquiries, please contact us at team@fixers.press.