Latvia expressed its readiness to support Lithuania in the event of increased hybrid attacks from Belarus, including the possible closure of border crossings. Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginene received assurances of solidarity from her colleagues in Riga and Tallinn.
Prime Minister Inga Ruginene says she has heard promises from Latvia and Estonia to support Lithuania if necessary and also close the border crossing points with Belarus. "The Poles have already shown solidarity with us and did not open the borders, although it was planned a week ago, so such decisions have already been made," the Lithuanian prime minister told reporters in the Seimas on Thursday.
"I received exactly the same assurances from the prime ministers of Latvia and Estonia. If we see that we are not coping [with the situation], and the Belarusian regime continues to attack us, they are also ready to show solidarity. So the conversation and communication are ongoing," she said.
The BNS agency reported that after Lithuania's decision to close the border with Belarus, Poland decided to postpone plans to open border crossing points with this neighboring country. Warsaw intended to open the "Kuznica" crossing, closed since November 9, 2021, and the "Bobrowniki" crossing, closed since February 10, 2023. According to Ruginene, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk promised not to open the aforementioned border crossings.
"The Prime Minister has promised me all week that we will talk again, and I am very grateful to Poland for hearing our plight and showing solidarity," the prime minister assured.
It was previously reported that due to the launch of meteorological balloons from Belarusian territory, used for transporting smuggled cigarettes, Lithuania had to suspend airport operations several times at the end of October, affecting about one and a half hundred flights and more than 20,000 passengers. The country's leadership calls this a hybrid attack by Belarus, organized not without the knowledge of the authoritarian regime of President Alexander Lukashenko. Such actions by Minsk have been condemned by European Union leaders, and NATO has expressed support for Lithuania.
In response to the threat to civil aviation, the government closed the border with Belarus for a month, with some exceptions. This decision is in effect until November 30, after which the cabinet will decide on extending the closure period.
In response to Vilnius's decision, Minsk has banned Lithuanian trucks on its territory from returning to Lithuania. The regime claims it will not allow this until the border is opened, and until then, trucks will be moved to special sites where, as promised, they will be charged.
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