Russian Visa Crackdown Push: Sweden-led coalition of 11 EU and Schengen states, including Lithuania, is urging the European Commission to tighten and harmonise Schengen visa rules for Russian citizens, arguing that mass tourism undermines EU sanctions unity and raises security risks; the Commission says “targeted restrictive measures” are planned as part of a Visa Code revision next year. Baltic Airspace Tensions: NATO fighters, including French Rafales deployed from Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania, shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace from Russia, with Latvia warning eastern residents to shelter indoors as electronic warfare was blamed for the incursion. Transit Costs Hit the Region: Latvia’s rail freight tariffs for cargoes from Russia or via Belarus to Latvia/Estonia/Finland are set to double, while Lithuania is not affected—an imbalance Latvia says could reroute transit and hurt ports and the wider supply chain. Tourism Snapshot: Eurostat reports EU tourist accommodation overnight stays rose in Q1 2026, but Lithuania saw the biggest drop among EU states (-12.9%), while foreign visitors accounted for about 46.6% of all stays across the bloc. Lithuanian Travel Ideas: A popular travel piece highlights Lithuania’s Curonian Spit as a low-crowd beach escape, and another describes a remote woodland stay at TonyResort near Lake Gilušis.