LITHUANIA, January 21 - Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė has met with European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson to discuss the situation on the Belarus-Lithuania border, further actions of the European Union in strengthening the protection of the EU’s external border and building up resistance to hybrid attacks, and the security situation in the region.

The Prime Minister of Lithuania has thanked Commissioner Johansson and the entire European Commission for assistance to Lithuania and prompt action in response to the instrumentalisation of migration. The united position of the EU, as well as the efforts and coordinated actions of Lithuania and the European Commission have been and continue to be effective in the fight against the hybrid attack by Lukashenko.   According to the Prime Minister, the daily numbers of people trying to cross the EU-Belarus border illegally have dropped, but it is too early to talk about a substantial de-escalation of the situation, as the Lukashenko regime remains unpredictable.

The meeting has focused on the efforts to return illegal migrants to their countries of origin and further steps by the European Commission to strengthen border security.

During the meeting, the security situation in the region has been discussed in view of the destabilising behaviour of Russia, the concentration of military forces on the border with Ukraine, and the deployment of military forces in the south of Belarus.

The Lithuanian Prime Minister has stressed the importance of the EU’s support for Ukraine as well as the united and strong position of NATO and the EU in the face of Russia’s aggressive actions and rhetoric.