The Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania have officially connected to the European electricity system, ending decades of reliance on Russia for their electricity supply. This move comes after the disconnection of all remaining transmission lines between the Baltics and Russia, Belarus, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. The decision to disconnect from Russia, a country with which the Baltic countries have had difficult ties since declaring independence in 1990, was seen as a significant geopolitical and symbolic move.
The disconnection plan, which was communicated to Moscow and Minsk in 2024, involved dismantling sixteen power lines that previously connected the Baltic states with Russia and Belarus. These power lines were replaced by a new grid linking the Baltics with the rest of the European Union, including underwater cables in the Baltic Sea. The presidents of Poland and the Baltic states, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, attended a ceremony in Vilnius to mark the historic occasion.
The Baltic countries, all of which are NATO members, are now fully integrated into the European electricity system, no longer dependent on Russia for their electricity supply. The move comes more than three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, marking the end of the Baltics’ ties to oil- and gas-rich Russia. This significant shift underscores the region’s commitment to strengthening its connections with the EU and reducing reliance on Russia.
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