Europe stands in full solidarity with Lithuania in the face of the contraband balloons registered in its airspace.
This was written in X by the President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen.
What happened, in her words, is destabilization, provocation and a hybrid threat.
We will not tolerate it. This is another reason to accelerate the Eastern Flank Surveillance and the European Drone Defense Initiative, she added.
We recall that Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginene said earlier that her country would start shooting down smuggler balloons that cross the border from Belarus and repeatedly violate the country's airspace.
Last week, Lithuania - a NATO member - was forced to temporarily close Vilnius Airport four times after such balloons entered national airspace. In each incident, border crossings with Belarus were also closed briefly.
According to authorities, the balloons are used by smugglers to transfer cigarettes, but Vilnius also accuses the Belarusian government of not stopping these actions. Prime Minister Ruginene described the cases as "hybrid attacks" and announced that border crossings with Belarus would remain closed, except for diplomats and EU citizens leaving the country.
"Today we have decided to take the strictest measures - there is no other way", Ruginenė told a news conference. She added that the government could discuss activating Article 4 of the NATO treaty, which provides for consultations between allies in the event of a security threat.