The Baltic states, Latvia and Lithuania, will soon end their last major electricity connection to Russia. This change will take place on Sunday, marking a significant move to join the EU’s electricity system.

This decision comes amidst ongoing concerns about possible attacks on critical cables due to the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Since the end of World War II, the Baltic states have relied on the Brell system, which also links them to Belarus and Russia.

However, with the war in Ukraine, no electricity has been traded through this system since 2022. The system was important for balancing electricity production and consumption in the region.

Lithuania’s energy minister, Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, called the change a “historically and symbolically very important action,” as the Baltic states integrate into the world’s largest synchronized power grid.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will attend the event in Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, to mark the day of synchronization with the EU grid through Poland.

This step represents a significant move towards energy independence for the Baltic region, and energy officials are celebrating it as a “momentous occasion” in the region’s history.