Belarus will answer for smuggling balloons. Leyen: We are preparing sanctions

On Monday, after a conversation with the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that the EC is working on further sanctions against Belarus in connection with smuggling balloons that violate Lithuanian airspace.

– The situation on the border with Belarus is deteriorating due to more and more frequent cases of smuggling balloons entering Lithuanian airspace – von der Leyen wrote on the X platform. – This type of hybrid attack by (Alexander) Lukashenko's regime is completely unacceptable, she added.

As the EC President emphasized, Lithuania can count on the full solidarity of the EC. – We are preparing further measures under our sanctions system – she noted.

Over the last week, Vilnius airport was closed three times due to smuggling balloons. The latest closure lasted the longest, almost 11 hours; the port reopened on Monday. The closure affected over 7,400. passengers and 50 flights. (PAP)

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