EU Commission chief warns situation at Lithuania-Belarus border 'worsening' amid 'unacceptable' attacks

GENEVA

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday warned that the situation at the Lithuania-Belarus border is "worsening" with growing incursions of smuggling balloons, vowing for further measures against such attacks.

"I just spoke with (Lithuanian) President Gitanas Nauseda. The situation at the border with Belarus is worsening, with the growing incursions of smuggling balloons into Lithuania’s airspace," von der Leyen said in a post published on the US social media platform X.

She said "such hybrid attack by the Lukashenka regime is completely unacceptable," underlining the bloc's continuing full solidarity with Lithuania.

"We are preparing further measures under our sanctions regime," she said.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys last week called for stricter sanctions on Belarus in response to smuggler balloons and trucks that remain seized in the country despite the border reopening.

The Lithuanian government decided on Nov. 19 to reopen its border crossings with Belarus earlier than the originally scheduled Nov. 30 date.

Lithuania's decision to close its border crossings followed helium balloons from Belarus repeatedly entering its airspace, prompting the country to shut its airports and border crossings.

In response to the border closure, Minsk barred Lithuanian lorries in Belarus from returning home.