Baltic Sea

A year has passed since Russia escalated its war against Ukraine to a full-scale invasion. When writing about the first Latvian reactions to the Russian attack, we noted the geographical proximity with both aggressor and victim made Latvians feel...

Collective defense is at the heart of European security. Enshrined within Article 5 of its founding treaty, NATO allies see “an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack...

On Dec. 1, Aleksey Korostelyov, the host of Russian opposition TV channel Dozhd (TV Rain) broadcasting from the Latvian capital Riga invited his viewers to share testimonies about Russia’s mobilization process and problems in the Russian army. At the...

The Ukraine grain deal, formally known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, is a joint agreement by Russia, Ukraine, and Türkiye that promises a safe Black Sea corridor for commercial ships to export grains from Ukraine under the supervision...

  Note: Research for this analysis was completed on October 13, 2022. The text does not reflect events since that date. Executive Summary Russia’s war on Ukraine is poised to bring into being a new European security order. Although...

Among the numerous casualties of the 2022 Latvian elections was the liberal upstart Development/For! (Attīstībai/Par!) electoral alliance. It entered the Saeima in 2018 promising an ambitious slate of social reforms. In the October 2022 parliamentary elections, Development/For! lost all...

On Oct. 1, Latvia elected its 14th parliament since 1922. The winner of the elections is the center-right New Unity (Jaunā Vienotība), the party of the current Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš and current Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs. This means...

Explore our guide to Latvian Parliamentary Party Platforms The 19 parties campaigning in the October 1 Latvian Saeima (parliament) elections are fated to experience interesting times. The vote occurs amidst lingering COVID-19 pandemic worries and Russia’s ongoing war in...

Latvia will hold parliamentary elections on October 1 to elect the members of 14th Saeima. Citizens are represented by a 100-member unicameral parliament to which members are elected by proportional representation for four-year terms. To enter the Saeima, parties...

Enmity and amity between countries is primarily defined by state institutions. Perceptions of societies in this regard are more obscure. They are influenced by a range of factors and actors. State institutions have influence on public opinion and vice...