She held a conversation with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and stressed that the situation on the border with Belarus is worsening.
Von der Leyen noted that the number of incursions by smuggled balloons into Lithuanian airspace is increasing.
“Such hybrid attack by the Lukashenko regime is completely unacceptable. Lithuania continues to have our full solidarity. We are preparing further measures under our sanctions regime,” she emphasized.
Belarusian provocations
In October, Vilnius International Airport was closed several times due to balloons launched from Belarusian territory. As a result, around 3,500 passengers and 25 flights were affected: four flights were canceled and seven were diverted.
In response, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė convened a meeting of the National Security Commission, which decided to close the border with Belarus for one month.
In November, the provocations continued: operations at Vilnius Airport again had to be temporarily suspended due to the appearance of unidentified drones in the airspace near the airfield.
On the night of 24 November, another mass launch of balloons from Belarus into Lithuanian airspace took place. The country called on the European Union to respond to the attacks.
In addition, Lithuanian authorities detained a drone operator who had been flying near Vilnius Airport.
The EU views such incidents as a deliberate hybrid campaign by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s regime. EU officials have warned that if such provocations continue, new sanctions against Belarus may be imposed.