Hybrid Threat Challenges and EU External Border Protection Were Discussed with German Partners
Deputy Interior Minister Vaidotas Jakštas met with Bundestag member Alexander Hoffmann and his accompanying delegation to discuss strengthening Lithuanian-German cooperation in the field of internal security, hybrid threats facing the region, and the importance of building European resilience.
Much of the meeting focused on the security situation along the European Union's eastern border. Deputy Minister Jakštas emphasized that Lithuania has been facing sustained pressure from the Belarusian regime for several years now — through instrumentalized illegal migration, disinformation campaigns, and other hybrid attacks.
According to the Deputy Minister, these threats are not isolated incidents but coordinated actions by hostile regimes aimed at destabilizing the region, eroding public trust in state institutions, and fostering a sense of insecurity.
"Strengthening our strategic partnership with Germany is one of Lithuania's top priorities. In the current geopolitical climate, it is especially important that our partners have a clear understanding of the security challenges facing the EU's eastern border. Only by acting together can we mount an effective response to hybrid threats and build resilience across Europe," said Deputy Minister V. Jakštas.
The meeting also covered the recent increase in military drone incursions into Baltic airspace, the protection of critical infrastructure, and the need to strengthen civil protection capabilities.
The Deputy Minister stressed that civil protection has become an integral part of national security, making it essential to consistently strengthen institutional preparedness, public awareness, and inter-agency cooperation.
Bundestag member Hoffmann also joined Deputy Minister Jakštas on a visit to the Padvarioniai border checkpoint, where the delegation observed the practical aspects of protecting the EU's external border, watched officers at work, and discussed measures for responding to hybrid threats.
During the visit, the delegation was briefed on the situation at the Belarusian border, illegal migration control measures, the challenges posed by contraband-carrying balloons, and inter-agency cooperation in securing the state border.
The meeting also underscored that Lithuania will actively raise issues of hybrid threats and European resilience as it prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2027.