Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė says she has been assured by Latvia and Estonia that they will support Lithuania if necessary in its dispute with Belarus over the border closure.
“The Poles have already shown solidarity with us and have not opened their border, even though they planned to do so a week ago,” the prime minister told reporters at the Seimas on Thursday.
“I received the same assurance from the prime ministers of Latvia and Estonia. If we see that we are unable to control the situation and the Belarusian regime continues to attack us, they are also ready to show solidarity. This dialogue and communication is ongoing,” she said.
Following Lithuania’s decision to close its border with Belarus, Poland decided to postpone plans to reopen its border crossings on the Belarusian border.
Warsaw intended to reopen the Kuznica crossing, closed since November 9, 2021, and the Bobrowniki crossing, closed since February 10, 2023. According to Ruginienė, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk vowed not to reopen these border crossings.
“The prime minister promised me this […] and I am very grateful to Poland for listening to our concerns and showing solidarity,” the prime minister said.
Lithuania closed its border with Belarus for a month, accusing Minsk of failing to stop weather balloons used by smugglers to transport cigarettes. Lithuanian airports had to suspend operations several times in late October, which affected about 150 flights and over 20,000 passengers.
Lithuanian leaders insist the balloons to be a form of “hybrid attack” by Belarus organised with the knowledge of the authoritarian government of Alexander Lukashenko. EU leaders have also condemned Minsk’s actions, and NATO has expressed its support for Lithuania.
After Vilnius’ decision to close border crossings with Belarus, Minsk banned Lithuanian trucks on its territory, leaving over a thousand vehicles stranded in the country and unable to return to Lithuania. Minsk says it will not let Lithuanian trucks leave until the border is reopened.
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