Кая Каллас. Скриншот видео
Aliaksandr Lukashenka has turned Belarus into a platform for Russia’s war, according to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas. She said this at a joint press conference with Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius in Vilnius on September 7.
“We also discussed the situation at the border with Belarus. Lukashenka has turned Belarus into a platform for Russia’s war. His regime also threatens Belarus’s European neighbors and uses illegal migration as a weapon against them. The complexity of the smuggling tunnels indicates organized support. There are strong grounds to believe that Minsk is assisting in this”, Kallas said.
Kallas noted that protecting Lithuania’s border is a shared responsibility of the European Union. She believes the EU should strengthen protection of its eastern border in cooperation with NATO and continue sanctions pressure.
According to Kallas, the meeting in Lithuania also addressed hybrid attacks by Russia, including the incident in Leipzig. She believes that ahead of the State Duma elections, Europe should expect more provocations on its territory and be prepared to respond to them.
The EU’s top diplomat said that Lithuania is one of the main targets of attacks, including airspace violations, disinformation campaigns and acts of sabotage. Kallas assured Vilnius of the European Union’s full support.