13 May 2026

Archived edition

Lithuania

Summary

Lithuania this spring signed a 6.375 billion-euro SAFE defence financing deal, and the Finance Ministry says it could generate up to 1.4 billion euros of business for local companies. Another financing move emerged today as Lithuania borrowed 1 billion euros on international markets. Lithuania’s first-quarter GDP growth was also among the fastest in the European Union.

President Gitanas Nauseda has kept security at the top of the agenda after his Vilnius meeting with Kyrylo Budanov and February’s agreement with Volodymyr Zelenskiy to launch production in Lithuania of defence systems for Ukraine. Nauseda will travel to Romania in the coming days for a summit of Bucharest Nine and Nordic leaders. He also issued a blunt warning that Lithuanian territory must not be used for drone strikes.

Lion Ceccah put Lithuania into the Eurovision final in Vienna with “Sólo quiero más” and said after the semi-final that his team had “made history”. His performance drew a strong reaction from viewers and media, and the team is weighing staging changes before Saturday’s 26-act final. In parliament, the Culture Committee is preparing to back a bill to overhaul LRT’s governance model, while in Jonava district a decorative stone company plans a 5.5 million-euro motor parts plant.

One of the day’s strongest human stories was Viktoria, 13, who survived stage 4 sarcoma and now returns to hospital each year to support children still in treatment. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office and Lithuania’s FNTT are continuing their probe into suspected misuse of EU funds, after searches at locations linked to Vigilijus Jukna following a 15min investigation. In the Kapciamiesciai training ground area, landowners have been sent notices on land seizure for public needs. Police also opened two investigations into parental violence against children in Salcininkai and Vilnius.

Late in the evening, the most significant developments were a raid in a probe into EU-funded training schemes. Lithuania also announced it had borrowed 1 billion euros, while Vilnius public transport plans to borrow up to 110 million euros from the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

sources: delfi.lt, lrytas.lt, vz.lt, tv3.lt, 15min.lt, lrt.lt

Nausėda and Zelenskiy sign an important agreement

On May 11, 2026, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda met in Vilnius with Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, and discussed Lithuania’s support for Ukraine across the board. In February, Nausėda and Volodymyr Zelenskiy agreed to launch production in Lithuania of defence systems for Ukraine, a joint project announced by the Presidential Office. The move points to a deeper industrial link between the two countries, with Lithuania becoming part of Ukraine’s wartime supply chain.

Why it matters

For Lithuania’s defence industry, the deal opens a new flow of orders and technology, while Ukraine gains a shorter route to equipment needed at the front. It also tightens regional security ties by making production and supply less dependent on a single country.

sources:delfi.lt lrytas.lt

Culture

Lion Ceccah who made Eurovision final shows emotion: we made history

Lion Ceccah returned to his hotel in Vienna after the first Eurovision semi-final on May 12, 2026, saying he and his team had made history. He advanced to the final with nine other acts, after a performance that drew heavy media attention and prompted talk of possible staging changes. He now heads into Saturday’s final, where Lithuania will try to turn the breakthrough into its best-ever result.

Why it matters

For Lithuanian viewers, the song gets one more night on Europe’s biggest pop stage. A strong final placing would boost Lion Ceccah’s profile at home and widen the audience for his music beyond the contest.

sources:delfi.lt lrytas.lt

Culture

Europe heard it! Ceccah goes to Eurovision final

Lithuania’s Lion Ceccah reached the Eurovision final on May 13, 2026 after the first semi-final in Vienna. His performance secured one of the last spots in Saturday’s show, where 10 acts advanced and 26 finalists will compete. The song, “Sólo quiero más,” keeps Lithuania in the contest’s closing round and gives it a shot at its best result of the year.

Why it matters

Attention now shifts to Saturday’s final, where votes from juries and viewers will decide Lithuania’s place among 26 acts. For audiences in Lithuania, the result will shape how this year’s entry is judged across Europe and at home.

sources:delfi.lt

Economy

Billions in SAFE Benefits to the Economy: Lithuanian Companies up to 1.4 Billion EUR

Lithuania signed a deal this spring for 6.375 billion euros in SAFE defence financing, and the Finance Ministry says the package could deliver as much as 1.4 billion euros in extra economic value through orders and supply chains. The scheme is built around joint defence procurement and production, which opens the door for Lithuanian firms making equipment, parts and related services. The next step is to turn the financing into concrete projects and tenders, and that will decide how much of the money stays in the local economy.

Why it matters

For defence firms, the package means new contracts and better visibility on production, while smaller suppliers could be pulled into larger cross-border projects. If the tenders move fast, metalworking, electronics and logistics companies could also see spillover demand.

sources:vz.lt

Health

Story of Viktoria, 13, who beat stage 4 sarcoma: she returns to help ill children in hospital

Viktoria, 13, who survived stage 4 sarcoma as a toddler, has returned to the hospital to visit sick children with her mother, I. Tamulionė. LRT previously reported that she was diagnosed with cancer at age three and now comes back each year for checks and support from the medical team. Her family says the visits have turned a brutal childhood illness into practical help for children still in treatment.

Why it matters

For children on oncology wards, encounters like this break isolation and show that life after long treatment is possible. For parents, they offer a concrete source of reassurance: a child who has already walked the same path and come back.

sources:delfi.lt

Crime

Following a media investigation — FNTT raids at Vigilijus Juknas, shadow and VDU

The European Public Prosecutor's Office and Lithuania's FNTT opened a criminal probe in mid-March over suspicions that VšĮ Mokslinės paslaugos and Vytautas Magnus University's Agriculture Academy may have mishandled EU funds tied to farmer training. After a 15min investigation, FNTT searched locations linked to Vigilijus Jukna, while the university unit remained in the frame as one of the programme organisers. The case is still active, and investigators are now gathering documents and other evidence that could broaden the list of suspects or charges.

Why it matters

If the probe confirms misuse, EU training money can be clawed back or frozen. That would hit the university's projects and tighten scrutiny over how farm-sector training is run and paid for.

sources:lrt.lt

Europe

Summary

Volodymyr Zelensky said today that Ukraine, 13 European allies and NATO leadership are building an anti-ballistic coalition. The plan is tied to a common production mandate and would position Ukraine as one of Europe’s key manufacturing hubs for missile defence.

Brussels is tightening a new European defence-finance architecture this week, built around the EU’s €150 billion SAFE loan scheme and wider use of guarantees for military projects. The European Commission and the European Investment Bank are linking the package to Readiness 2030, the push to speed joint arms purchases and expand industrial capacity by the end of the decade. An investigation also found that Russian gas imports into the EU have reached their highest level since the full-scale invasion began.

In Kryvyi Rih, Russian drones hit a residential block last night, killing two members of the same family and critically injuring a nine-month-old baby. Ukraine said it shot down 111 Russian drones over the past day, while Zelensky said Russia had launched at least 800 drones in recent days and killed six people. In Russia’s Krasnodar region, a drone attack hit a port and an oil reservoir, triggering a fire, and a separate strike disabled one of Russia’s largest oil refineries.

Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said today that one day of war with Russia now costs Kyiv about $450 million. Five robotic units bought through Lithuania’s RADAROM campaign reached Ukrainian troops today for reconnaissance, logistics and casualty evacuation. Germany said today that TikTok’s European operations should be controlled by Europeans. In Moscow, a major fire over the past day hit the Izmailovo Kremlin complex, while Alexander Lukashenko announced rotational mobilisation and said Belarus was preparing for war.

The Kremlin replaced the governors of two Russian regions bordering Ukraine. In Ukraine, at least six people were killed in daytime Russian drone strikes, while Kyiv is also sending experts to Latvia to help strengthen airspace protection after recent drone incidents.

sources: vz.lt, delfi.lt, lrt.lt, tv3.lt, lrytas.lt, 15min.lt

War in Ukraine. Zelenskiy: Ukraine and European partners building anti-ballistic coalition

Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on May 13, 2026 that Ukraine and 13 European allies, working with NATO leadership, are building an anti-ballistic coalition. LRT said the plan is tied to a common production mandate and could make Ukraine one of Europe’s key defence manufacturing hubs. The move would push Kyiv beyond being a recipient of aid and into a role where it helps produce the systems needed to intercept ballistic missiles.

Why it matters

For Ukrainian cities and critical energy sites, the payoff would be better protection against ballistic missile strikes if the plan turns into hardware, not just declarations. For European partners, it is also an industrial move, because parts of the interceptor supply chain and production could shift closer to the front line.

sources:lrt.lt

Politics

In Russia's attack on Kryvyi Rih, two people died and a 9-month-old baby was seriously injured

Russian drones hit a residential block in Kryvyi Rih on the evening of May 12, killing two people and severely injuring a nine-month-old baby. Local officials said the victims were members of the same family and rescue crews were working through the wreckage after the strike. The attack came one day after a three-day ceasefire declared by Russia expired, as air raids resumed across the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Why it matters

For residents of Kryvyi Rih, it is another strike on homes where families sleep and raise children. It forces rescue crews and hospitals to stay on alert, because hits on apartment blocks quickly turn into search-and-rescue and emergency care operations.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

Five 'RADAROM' robot units reach Ukrainian troops

Five robot units funded by Lithuania’s “RADAROM!” campaign reached Ukrainian troops on May 13. The drive, run by LRT and partners, is buying robotic systems for reconnaissance, logistics and casualty evacuation in the most dangerous parts of the front. Organisers say equipment is still being procured to match battlefield needs, so more deliveries may follow.

Why it matters

Ukrainian troops are getting equipment that keeps people out of the most exposed parts of the battlefield. That improves casualty evacuation, resupply and reconnaissance while reducing the number of soldiers put at immediate risk.

sources:lrt.lt

Politics

Europe Builds a New Defense Financing Architecture

The European Commission and the European Investment Bank are tightening a broader defence-finance model in Brussels this week, combining the €150bn SAFE loan scheme, the AGILE innovation plan unveiled on March 25, 2026, and a wider push to use loans and guarantees for defence projects. EU documents link the package to Readiness 2030, a drive to speed up joint weapons buys, expand industrial capacity and close critical gaps by the end of the decade. The next step is turning the framework into actual funding flows and procurement, with some money already allocated and more tied to negotiations on the next EU budget.

Why it matters

European defence firms get access to cheaper, longer-dated funding, which matters for ammunition makers and companies building drones, air-defence systems and electronics. For governments, it means less reliance on one-off national budgets and more scope to buy together.

sources:vz.lt

Economy

How much does a day of war cost Ukraine: Kyiv releases figures

Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said on May 13, 2026 that one day of war with Russia now costs Kyiv about $450 million. He made the comment at a security conference and argued that any real path to peace still needs the United States at the table. The figure is sharply higher than the $172 million a day cited by parliament last September and the $140 million daily cost reported for 2024, underlining the scale of the strain on Ukraine’s budget.

Why it matters

Ukraine’s budget is being forced deeper into reliance on foreign aid, because a single day of fighting now consumes a sum that would dwarf many countries’ daily public spending. The longer that bill runs, the harder it becomes to fund the army, pay civilian salaries and keep basic state services moving.

sources:tv3.lt 15min.lt

Economy

Prices of spare car parts rise steeply, but quality is an even bigger problem

In Vilnius, repair shops have been warning over the past 48 hours that spare parts are getting sharply more expensive, while inferior replacement parts are becoming a bigger headache. Lithuanian outlets have previously reported a rise in counterfeit and low-grade parts that look genuine but wear out fast or do not fit properly. That leaves drivers paying twice and workshops spending more time on diagnostics and disputes with suppliers.

Why it matters

For drivers, a bad part is not just a higher bill. If it fails quickly or does not fit properly, the car spends longer off the road and a single repair can turn into several visits.

sources:delfi.lt

World

Summary

Iran said on Wednesday that Washington must accept Tehran’s 14-point peace plan or face failure. Chief negotiator Mohammadas Bagher Ghalibaf spoke after Donald Trump rejected Iran’s response to a US proposal to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and curb Iran’s nuclear programme. The Pentagon said today that the US war with Iran has now cost $29 billion. Regional reporting also says Iran still retains most of its missile arsenal.

Lebanon’s health ministry said eight people were killed in Israeli strikes south of Beirut today. The Israeli military said it launched a fresh wave of attacks on Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon after issuing new evacuation warnings, despite a ceasefire in the wider war. Lebanese state media also reported a strike on a car on a highway south of Beirut. In Turkey, torrential rain triggered flash flooding in Havza district in Samsun province, sweeping away cars and inundating homes and businesses. Anadolu said 12 people were taken to hospital with minor injuries as firefighters, police and disaster crews rescued stranded residents and cleared roads.

Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Xi Jinping had called him, in a new push to steady the US-China trade fight over tariffs and rare-earth export controls. Beijing has issued no new public readout of the call. The Congressional Budget Office said today that Trump’s proposed Golden Dome missile shield could cost more than $1 trillion over 20 years, far above his $175 billion pitch. In San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama scored 39 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as the Spurs beat the Timberwolves 126-97 to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semi-final series. Former NBA player Jason Collins, the first player in league history to come out publicly as gay, died over the past day after a serious illness.

The US Congress moved toward a new $1.3bn aid package for Ukraine. The US Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as the new Federal Reserve chair.

sources: delfi.lt, tv3.lt, 15min.lt, lrt.lt, vz.lt, lrytas.lt

Part of Turkey flooded: powerful disaster even carried cars

Torrential rain triggered flash flooding in Havza district in Turkey's Samsun province on May 13, 2026, sending water down streets and sweeping cars and debris away. Homes and businesses were inundated, with basements and ground floors submerged. Anadolu said 12 people were taken to hospital with minor injuries, while firefighters, police and disaster crews moved in to rescue stranded residents and clear the roads.

Why it matters

For residents whose basements and ground floors were flooded, the immediate hit is loss of power, water access and usable space. For local authorities, these flash floods mean faster road damage, higher cleanup bills and short-term disruption to shops and transport.

sources:lrytas.lt

Politics

Eight people killed in Lebanon during Israeli attack

Lebanon's health ministry said eight people were killed in Israeli strikes south of Beirut on May 13. The Israeli military said it had launched a fresh wave of attacks in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah infrastructure after issuing new evacuation warnings for several rural areas. The strikes came despite a ceasefire in the wider war between Israel and the Iran-backed group, and Lebanese officials say the conflict has already killed thousands since it began.

Why it matters

People in southern Lebanon are again facing evacuation warnings and the risk of abandoning homes, farms and small businesses. The fresh strikes also raise pressure on Lebanese officials and mediators trying to hold the ceasefire and keep civilian areas south of Beirut from becoming targets.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

US Congress: Trump's 'Gold Dome' could cost over a trillion dollars

The Congressional Budget Office on May 13 said Donald Trump's proposed 'Golden Dome' missile shield could cost more than $1 trillion over 20 years. The estimate reflects a space-based architecture with interceptors, launch costs and long-term operations, far above Trump's $175 billion pitch. The gap raises the stakes for Congress, which has not approved funding and will face a fight over whether the system is affordable at all.

Why it matters

For U.S. taxpayers, the plan implies a decades-long federal commitment that could crowd out spending on other defence and domestic priorities. European allies will watch closely because a huge missile-defence buildout could reshape Washington's security agenda and procurement choices.

sources:tv3.lt delfi.lt lrt.lt

Sports

Wembanyama dominated, Spurs close in on series victory

Victor Wembanyama delivered 39 points and 15 rebounds in San Antonio on May 13, powering the Spurs to a 126-97 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves and a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semi-final series. The French centre returned from the first suspension of his career after the previous game ended with a clash involving Jrue Holiday and a concussion diagnosis. Game 6 shifts to Minnesota, where San Antonio can close out the series and reach the Western Conference finals.

Why it matters

San Antonio are one win from the next round, shifting the pressure squarely onto Minnesota despite the Timberwolves' home court in Game 6. Wembanyama's return from suspension and injury means each of his minutes can now decide whether the Spurs extend their season.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

Iran War. Iran says the US must back its peace plan, otherwise they face 'failure'

Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammadas Bagher Ghalibaf said on May 13 that Washington must accept Tehran’s 14-point peace plan or suffer failure. His warning came after President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s response to a US proposal to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping and curb Iran’s nuclear programme. Talks stalled after an initial round last month, and Tehran says it is ready to answer any renewed US strike.

Why it matters

Uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz and the nuclear talks feeds straight into oil supply and shipping insurance costs in Europe. A failure to strike a deal would raise risks for regional shipping and for global energy prices.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

From Trump – request to China: sent a message to the dictator

Donald Trump said on May 12, 2026 that Xi Jinping had called him, signalling a fresh attempt to steady the US-China trade fight. He also said he was weighing a meeting with Xi at a South Korea summit later this month, with tariffs and rare-earth export controls still at the centre of talks. Beijing has not given a new public readout, leaving the next move to whether the call turns into a concrete deal or just a pause in the dispute.

Why it matters

Any easing between Washington and Beijing would ripple through global supply chains, especially for chips, batteries and industrial metals. European manufacturers would feel it first if tariffs or export curbs on critical materials are softened.

sources:tv3.lt