On the continuous Belarusian hybrid attacks against Lithuania

B100570/2025

European Parliament resolution on the continuous Belarusian hybrid attacks against Lithuania

(2025/3025(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the UN Charter,

– having regard to the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 and the principles of peaceful settlement of disputes thereof,

– having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas recent incidents involving weather balloons, used for smuggling cigarettes, and other unmanned devices crossing from Belarus into Lithuanian airspace have led to significant disruptions, including the temporary grounding of civilian flights and the declaration of a nationwide emergency by the Lithuanian Government;

B. whereas the Lithuanian Government’s border closures, expanded operational powers and emergency measures have had tangible consequences for fundamental rights, freedom of movement and local communities living along the Lithuania-Belarus border;

C. whereas Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė has condemned the balloon incursions as a ‘hybrid attack’ by Belarus posing a real risk to national security and civil aviation; whereas Belarus denies being behind the incursions;

D. whereas heightened tensions at the EU’s external borders often correlate with an erosion of human rights protections, including the risk of a pushback on human rights, the denial of asylum rights and the normalisation of emergency security measures;

1. Expresses deep concern over the rapid escalation of political and military tensions along the EU-Belarus border; expresses solidarity with the country of Lithuania and its people;

2. Recalls that Lithuania has the right to defend its airspace and territorial integrity; stresses that the declaration of a nationwide emergency in Lithuania, while related to legitimate security concerns, must not become a precedent for normalising exceptional measures that restrict rights, increase militarisation or undermine democratic oversight;

3. Condemns all violations of territorial integrity and airspace, and calls for a balanced approach that recognises both the need to protect civilian safety and the imperative of preventing further escalation;

4. Calls on the Belarusian authorities to cooperate fully in clarifying recent incidents and ensure that no state structures or actors facilitate or tolerate activities that may contribute to regional tensions, including unauthorised airborne launches or smuggling operations, and to engage constructively with international mechanisms aimed at preventing escalation and ensuring transparency;

5. Calls on the immediate establishment of an independent, international and transparent fact-finding mechanism under the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, to investigate all recent incidents objectively, including airborne incursions, alleged smuggling operations and any cross-border actions;

6. Reaffirms that the management of borders and migration must never result in pushbacks or bypass human rights obligations, including the right to access asylum, the right to individualised assessment and the obligation to protect vulnerable persons;

7. Calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and on the Commission to prioritise diplomacy, de-escalation and confidence-building measures, and to support initiatives that reduce the risk of miscalculation, misinformation or politically motivated escalation;

8. Stresses that sustainable regional security cannot be built on emergency measures and militarised borders, but only through transparency, respect for international law, diplomacy and genuine dialogue;

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the Government of Belarus.