Baltic defense ministers condemn hybrid attacks by Belarus

  • 2021-11-11
  • LETA/BNS/TBT Staff

TALLINN - Estonian Minister of Defense Kalle Laanet, Latvian Minister of Defense Artis Pabriks and Lithuanian Minister of Defense Arvydas Anusauskas deem the security crisis developing on the Polish-Belarusian and Lithuanian-Belarusian borders very alarming and unequivocally condemn the deliberate escalation in the continued hybrid attack by the Belarusian regime, which poses a severe threat to European security.

"Large groups of people are brought together and transported to the border area where they are forced to unlawfully cross the border. It increases the likelihood of provocations and severe incidents carrying over into the military domain. The recent deployment of the forces of the Russian Federation near the Ukrainian border is also alarming as it may entail supplementary security risks," the Baltic defense ministers said in a statement.

The current situation is the most complicated security crisis in years for the region, NATO and the European Union, which is why the crisis requires continued unity and a common situational awareness and approach from NATO allies and EU member states to ensure that the deliberate attempts by Belarus and the Russian Federation to destabilize the security situation in Europe are thwarted.

"We call on the European Union to increase its practical support to improving security on its external borders. We need to fully support our neighbors and ensure that no step by Belarus or the Russian Federation should go unnoticed. We're also prepared to support Poland bilaterally," the ministers said.