{"id":163673,"date":"2025-11-11T14:06:18","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T11:06:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/163673\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"lithuanias-top-diplomat-talks-minsks-hybrid-threats-in-washington","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/163673\/","title":{"rendered":"Lithuania\u2019s top diplomat discusses Minsk\u2019s hybrid threats in Washington"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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November 11, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Lithuania’s Foreign Minister K\u0119stutis Budrys met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington yesterday to discuss the escalation of hybrid threats from Moscow and Minsk, the Lithuanian foreign ministry reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budrys thanked his American counterpart for solidarity with Lithuania and a principled response to airspace violations amid cigarette-smuggling balloon incursions from Belarus. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authoritarian regimes in NATO\u2019s neighborhood continue to test the alliance\u2019s limits, making a unified response and strong deterrence essential to prevent further challenges, he stressed. The politician also urged the US and Europe to continue coordinating sanctions against Russia and Belarus to curb their reckless actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the same day, Budrys met John Coale, the US special envoy for Belarus, calling for increased pressure on Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime and tightening of sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tensions between Belarus and Lithuania over cigarette-smuggling balloons have been rising since mid-October, forcing Lithuanian authorities to briefly close the border on several occasions and suspend operations at Vilnius Airport, located close to the Belarusian border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On October 29, the Lithuanian government ruled to keep the shared border with Belarus closed until November 30 following numerous airspace violations. The closure may be extended, Vilnius warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Border crossings in Medininkai and \u0160al\u010dininkai were the only two checkpoints handling all cross-border traffic between Lithuania and Belarus after Vilnius closed \u0160umskas and Tvere\u010dius crossings in 2023 and Lavori\u0161k\u0117s and Raigardas in 2024, citing national security and smuggling among the reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus described the Lithuanian decision to close the border as \u201ca politicized and ill-considered move\u201d that has caused significant losses for transport companies. Minsk banned nearly 1,100 Lithuania-registered trucks stranded in Belarus from leaving, linking their release to border reopening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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