Budrys spoke by phone with the NATO Secretary General

On 4 December, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys had a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The Minister and the Head of NATO discussed the ongoing Belarusian hybrid attack against Lithuania and NATO's response to such activities.

During the conversation, Budrys emphasized that since October, the actions of the Belarusian regime pose a serious threat to civil aviation in Lithuania and Europe. The Minister underlined that the Belarusian authorities are not preventing these actions and are deliberately targeting Vilnius Airport with smuggler balloons to disrupt its operations. Budrys also mentioned that the Lukashenka regime has illegally detained and is holding the property of European Union companies on its territory.

"This is a deliberate hybrid attack that threatens not only the security of Lithuania, but the security of the whole region. The Belarusian regime deliberately and consciously disrupts civil aviation activities, causing confusion in our societies, blackmailing, and spreading disinformation. NATO's response to these actions is essential", said the Minister.

During the conversation, Budrys emphasized that at the beginning of November, Lithuania submitted a request for NATO to send a Counter Hybrid Support Team to our country. The Minister stressed that we were looking forward to the arrival of this team as soon as possible. He also invited allies to test and adapt technical measures to combat airspace violations in Lithuania.

According to Budrys, not only is solidarity among NATO allies important, but so are concrete steps to counter hybrid threats, as hostile regimes test the limits of the Alliance.
The Belarusian hybrid attack against Lithuania was also discussed at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels a day before.