Lithuania holds a presidential vote as anxieties rise in the Baltics over Russia and war in Ukraine

By LIUDAS DAPKUS
Associated Press

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania is holding a presidential election on Sunday at a time when Russian gains on the battlefield in Ukraine are fueling greater fears across all of Europe about Moscow’s intentions. But the anxieties are particularly high in the strategically important Baltic region. The popular incumbent Gitanas Nausėda is favored to win another five-year term. But there are eight candidates running in all. That makes it unlikely that any candidate can win the 50% of the votes. A runoff will be held on May 26 in that case. The Lithuanian president’s main tasks involve overseeing foreign and security policy and acting as the supreme commander of the armed forces.