European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Lithuania – Belarus Border
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, together with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Minister of the Interior Vladislav Kondratovič, visited Lithuania’s border with Belarus.
According to Minister V. Kondratovič, Lithuania is currently meeting the highest standards for protecting the EU’s external border: a physical barrier has been installed along the border, advanced surveillance systems are operational, around 90% of border officers are now equipped with weapons meeting NATO standards. In addition, work continues on upgrading the patrol track along the border.
“Security challenges are not going away – they are evolving and expanding. Today we face a new type of threat: violations of our airspace. That’s why strengthening air surveillance, as well as developing drone and anti-drone capabilities, is not optional but necessary. To respond properly to these growing threats, we need sufficient and well-targeted EU funding,” said minister Kondratovič.
Recently, Lithuania, together with Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Poland, addressed the European Commission in a joint letter calling for additional funding to strengthen protection of the EU’s external borders. This letter aims to draw the European Commission’s attention to the security threats arising from the recent airspace violations, emphasizing the need to strengthen airspace surveillance systems, as well as drone and anti-drone capacities.
For the past four years, the EU’s eastern border countries have been facing illegal migration organized by the authoritarian regime in Belarus. This year alone, Lithuanian authorities have prevented over 1,000 illegal migrants from entering the country, while since 2021 nearly 24,000 attempts to cross the border illegally have been blocked.
President von der Leyen’s visit demonstrates that reinforcing – including investments in border security to guard against potential Russian aggression – is a common interest for all EU member states.
“I am here to once again reaffirm Europe’s solidarity with Lithuania. Europe needs a strong Lithuania to safeguard our borders and our people. This is why cohesion policy will continue to be the basis of the EU budget. We will continue to support both border security and strong livelihoods,“ said European Commission President von der Leyen.
Last updated: 12-09-2025
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