Poland and the Baltic countries support the closure of borders with Belarus
Poland has confirmed that it will not reopen the border with Belarus as previously planned, in solidarity with Lithuania. Latvia and Estonia have also expressed their readiness to support Lithuania by closing their checkpoints if necessary.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė stated that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk personally assured her that Poland will not reopen its borders with Belarus after they were closed in mid-September. According to Šimonytė, this decision is made in the context of hybrid threats from Belarus.
Currently, Lithuania is not negotiating with the Belarusian side but is sending signals regarding the reasons for the border closures. The Lithuanian government has intensified diplomatic efforts and is waiting for reciprocal steps from Minsk. In October, drones and weather balloons from Belarus were observed in Lithuania, causing the temporary closure of Vilnius Airport and the border with Belarus, delaying approximately 150 flights and over 20,000 passengers. In response, Belarus prohibited Lithuanian trucks from returning to its territory.
| Country | Reaction to the situation |
|---|---|
| Poland | Closure of the border with Belarus |
| Latvia | Readiness to close checkpoints |
| Estonia | Readiness to close checkpoints |
| Lithuania | Expecting the first step from Belarus |
