Linas Jegelevičius
The year 2024 has been marked by several significant events across various sectors in Lithuania. BNN reached out to individuals from different walks of life to discover which moments from 2024 left the strongest impressions on their memories.
Approached by BNN to comment on the developments of 2024, Linas Kojala, Director of the Vilnius-based Geopolitics and Security Studies Centre (GSSC), referred to his Facebook post summarizing the year’s events.
Regarding Russia, he noted that while its advances in Ukraine in 2024 were somewhat faster than in 2023, the gains remained relatively modest. According to his analysis, as of November, Russia has occupied less than 3 000 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory – just 0.5% of Ukraine’s total land area.
“Despite these minimal gains and the economic strain, Russia continues its efforts to replenish its forces. The analyst notes that with 43% of Russia’s 2025 budget allocated to war-related expenses, such spending is unsustainable in the long term,” he says.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts have seen mixed results, particularly in Western capitals like Washington, claims L. Kojala.
“For example, President Zelensky’s visit to the U.S. in October, along with the Victory Plan, failed to gain significant traction among Americans. However, in recent weeks, Ukraine has shifted its messaging, presenting itself as a proponent of peace. This approach may help counter critics who view Ukraine as an impediment to ceasefire efforts,” said the head of GSSC.
Despite discussions about the decline of the Western era, the U.S. remains in a position of strength, Kojala asserts.
“The U.S. economy is robust, with its nominal GDP representing 26% of the global economy. Additionally, U.S. defence spending accounts for more than a third of global military expenditures,” he explained.
Turning to China, Kojala pointed out several challenges the country faces, including weak domestic consumption, a real estate bubble, stalled investments, and demographic issues.
“Rising geopolitical tensions with Western nations may further hinder China’s growth. The country will need to carefully weigh the costs of supporting aggressors like Russia against the benefits of maintaining pragmatic relationships with wealthy Western nations,” Kojala concluded.
Klaipėda-born missionary Hermanas Šulcas told BNN that the ongoing bloodshed in Ukraine and the rise of new conflicts worldwide – especially in Africa – left an indelible mark on his memory in 2024.
A Salesian Father of Don Bosco, Šulcas has spent many years as a missionary in Africa, dedicating his efforts to helping local children overcome poverty and distress.
“The ongoing civil war in Sudan has led to catastrophic humanitarian consequences, highlighting the limitations of global crisis management institutions,” he said.
Speaking about 2024 in his youth homestead in Kretinga district, western Lithuania – he has been operating it since 2010 – the missionary highlighted numerous educational, sports and mentoring events for children throughout the year, including those from orphanages and families facing financial difficulties.
The homestead is also home to a flock of geese and chickens. Recently, its animal companions grew to include two young donkeys who joined four resident ponies.
“I hope the New Year will finally bring more peace within each of us and in every country, especially those embroiled in war,” Šulcas said.
When approached by BNN, Tomas Janeliūnas, a Lithuanian political scientist, professor, and expert in international relations and security studies, emphasized that in 2024 global attention was “understandably” focused on the bloody conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.
“I hope the New Year will bring more peace for all of us. There are good reasons to believe that a resolution in Ukraine may be on the horizon, especially given the recent change of power in Washington,” the analyst said.
Yet, he acknowledges, Russia will remain bellicose and undeterred, especially since the main “red lines” still exist in the minds of Western politicians and societies.
“Russia exploits and manipulates these fears, particularly by playing on the fear of “nuclear escalation…In my opinion, Russia’s primary goal is to deter NATO from becoming directly involved in a war with Russia. This implies that Russia itself seeks to avoid a confrontation with NATO forces (especially the U.S.) because it fears that such a conflict would lead to its complete defeat. And that is precisely what would happen, even now, despite the ongoing discussions about the West’s alleged unpreparedness, shrinking military production capacities, or under-equipped military units,” T. Janeliūnas forecasts.
When the West shifts its mindset from the “fear of escalation” to an understanding of what Russia truly fears, then it will be possible to negotiate and act from a “position of strength”, he underscored.
For Lukas Kubilius, a distinguished Lithuanian Kyokushin karate athlete and owner of the karate school Shodan, the year 2024 went into his memory as a year that saw a handful of Shodan sportsmen win laurels in many international competitions, including The Karate Champion of Champions, a prestigious tournament that debuted in Tokyo, Japan, last July.
“This one-day event featured a big prize and was part of the Dream Festival 2024 International Tournament, which attracted 3 758 participants from 21 countries,” Shodan’s owner said.
Notably, during the trip to Tokyo, he encountered a young Japanese karateka who credited Kubilius’s example for his own success in becoming a national champion and earning the right to represent Japan in the upcoming World Championship.
Before, in May, in the Lithuanian Kyokushin Karate Cadet and Youth Championship, Shodan athletes won an impressive 31 medals at the competition, including 15 gold, ten silver, and six bronze.
“Shodan school maintained its leading position, securing first place in the overall club standings,” L. Kubilius mentioned proudly.
Among other notable sporting events in 2024, L. Kubilius highlighted the Paris Olympics and the European Football Championship.
Eimutis Židanavičius, Councilor of the Palanga Municipality, identified Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election in November as the most significant global event of 2024.
“All political narratives revolved around that event and what his return to power means for NATO, Europe, Ukraine, and us,” Židanavičius told BNN.
As a reminder, Trump reclaimed the presidency after surviving an assassination attempt in which a bullet grazed his ear.
Among other notable international political events, he highlighted the Labour Party’s landslide victory in the UK, which signaled a major shift in the country’s political landscape.
Židanavičius also noted that Lithuania attracted attention in 2024 by holding three major elections: the presidential election and the European Parliament elections in May, followed by the general elections in October.
Incumbent President Gitanas Nausėda was re-elected for a second term. The election proceeded to a runoff on the 26th of May 26, where Nausėda secured a decisive victory over Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, obtaining 75% of the vote, the largest margin in Lithuania’s electoral history.
In the parliamentary elections, the center-left Social Democrats triumphed over the incumbent center-right Homeland Union government led by Prime Minister Šimonytė. The Social Democrats secured 52 seats in the 141-seat parliament and formed a coalition with the Democratic Union “For Lithuania” and the Dawn of the River Neman, enjoying a comfy 86-seat majority.
“What surprised me in the elections, was the rise of the Dawn of the River Party, which is inexperienced, very mottle and unpredictable to the other partners of the Coalition,” E. Židanavičius said.
A dual citizenship referendum was held during the presidential election on the 12th of May. It sought to amend the constitution to permit dual citizenship. Although 74.49% of voters supported the amendment, the initiative failed due to insufficient turnout, as it did not meet the required threshold of votes from all registered voters.
For Valdas Tutkus, Lithuania’s retired army chief, the most significant events of 2024 were tied to the defence industry.
“Sadly, the war in Ukraine has continued to claim lives, with rising death and casualty tolls despite repeated calls for both sides to negotiate a peace deal. With Trump now in office, peace talks in Ukraine are likely to take shape, potentially producing a resolution,” he said.
As a reminder, throughout 2024, Lithuania and Germany strengthened their defence cooperation via several significant agreements.
Germany’s defence company, Rheinmetall, partnered with Lithuania to establish a state-of-the-art 155mm artillery ammunition production facility in Baisogala, central Lithuania. The project, valued at approximately 180 million euros, aims to enhance Lithuania’s defence capabilities and strengthen its industrial base.
The facility is being constructed on a 340-hectare site with operations expected to commence by mid-2026.
In September 2024, the Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasčiūnas and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius signed a comprehensive defence cooperation agreement in Berlin. This agreement establishes the legal framework for the permanent stationing of a German brigade in Lithuania, marking Germany’s first permanent foreign military deployment since World War II. The agreement also outlines provisions for tax exemptions, social benefits, and the recognition of professional qualifications for German military personnel and state-owned companies operating in Lithuania.
Following the agreement, Lithuania initiated the construction of a military base in Rūdninkai, near the capital Vilnius and close to the Russian border. This base is expected to host up to 4,000 German troops by the end of 2027.
In December 2024, Lithuania agreed to purchase 44 Leopard 2 tanks from Germany, marking the country’s largest defence acquisition to date. The agreement was formalized by Lithuania’s new Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.