{"id":166463,"date":"2025-12-02T12:02:56","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T09:02:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/166463\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"von-der-leyen-announces-new-sanctions-on-belarus-over-smugglers-balloons","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/166463\/","title":{"rendered":"Von der Leyen announces new sanctions on Belarus over smugglers\u2019 balloons"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Caniceus \/ pixabay.com)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

December 2, Pozirk<\/em>. <\/strong>The European Union is preparing new sanctions amid weather balloon incursions into Lithuania from Belarus, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced following a phone call with Lithuanian President Gitanas Naus\u0117da.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe situation at the border with Belarus is worsening, with the growing incursions of smuggling balloons into Lithuania\u2019s airspace,\u201d she said<\/a> on X. \u201cSuch hybrid attack by the [Alaksandar] \u0141uka\u0161enka regime is completely unacceptable. Lithuania continues to have our full solidarity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania faces systematic hybrid attacks and deliberate large-scale violations of its airspace by Belarus as smugglers’ balloons keep threatening civil aviation safety and disrupting Vilnius Airport operations, Nauseda’s press office cited him as saying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lithuanian president stressed the need for a stronger, more coordinated EU response to ongoing provocations by the regimes in Belarus and Russia. \u201cWe must respond with unity and resolve,\u201d he said<\/a> on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naus\u0117da also pointed out that up to 1,000 Lithuanian trucks remain stranded in Belarus and banned from leaving the country, according to his press office. Minsk keeps rejecting all requests from Lithuania to return the carriers to the EU, he noted.<\/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

The Medininkai\u2013Kamienny \u0141oh and \u0160al\u010dininkai\u2013Bieniakoni checkpoints at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border remained closed from October 29 until November 20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk pushes for consultations between the countries\u2019 foreign ministries, while Lithuania views potential talks as an effort to break the international isolation of \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime and potentially pave the way for easing sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius is also reluctant to launch negotiations, as Lithuania curtailed official contacts with Minsk after what it described as the rigged 2020 presidential election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Balloon incursions keep disrupting air traffic at Vilnius Airport<\/h3>\n
December 1, Pozirk. Vilnius International Airport reported disruptions in its operations due to balloon incursions yesterday evening, marking the fifth such incident since November 20. The decision to restrict air traffic was linked to the spotting of weather balloons used …<\/div>\n \n