EU eyes sanctions over Belarus โhybrid attackโ on Lithuania
Balloon incursions, drone disputes, and stranded trucks deepen the rift with Minsk
๐ง๐พ Belarus
โThey decided to kill us with coldโ: Ukrainians struggle against Russian assault on power network
Chernihiv residents say they are without power for 14 hours a day as they gather in โinvincibility pointsโ to charge up and warm upValentyna Ivanivna showed off her new head torch. It was a present from her grandson, she said. Most evenings she wears i…
EU โminutes from big casualtiesโ in Russian hybrid war, Lithuanian minister warns
An act of railway sabotage in Poland is just the latest sign the bloc needs to respond to Moscow’s tactics, Lithuania’s foreign minister told POLITICO.
Poland to shut last Russian consulate after rail attack sparks outcry
However, Warsaw will not break off diplomatic relations with Moscow, foreign minister says.
Lithuania to reopen Belarus border after balloons forced shutdown
The border closure inflamed tensions between Lithuania and Belarus, a close ally of Russia
Europe needs tactical nukes to counter Putin, says Airbus chief
European aerospace heavyweight warns that the continent must have a stronger deterrent against Russia’s massive arsenal.
Belarus trying to โfoolโ Trump into normalising ties, says opposition leader
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya says Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko will not break with Moscow
โWe are under attackโ: Italian defense minister accuses Russia of waging hybrid war
It is “absurd” that there is so little reaction, wrote Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.
Ukrainians working for Russia were behind rail blasts, says Polish PM
Donald Tusk says two saboteurs crossed border from Belarus hoping to cause divisive โcatastropheโPolish authorities have identified two Ukrainian men, allegedly working for the Russian intelligence services, as the key suspects in two cases of rail sab…
Polish rail track sabotaged by Ukrainians working for Russia, Tusk says
Polish prime minister says Warsaw will demand Belarus and Russia give up the two suspects.
Two Ukrainians working for Russia behind rail sabotage, Polish PM says
Donald Tusk said the two suspects had entered Poland from Belarus and had long worked for Russia.
Poland reopens two Belarus border crossings over economic concerns
The reopening was now possible as Poland’s eastern and EU border have been “secured like never before”
Polish PM Tusk says rail track explosion was โsabotageโ
Warsaw is on guard against foreign espionage and operations linked to Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine.
Polandโs Tusk hails Commissionโs migration plan
The Commission acknowledged that Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Croatia, Austria and Poland are dealing with โsignificant migratory situations.โ
Lithuania suspends air traffic over capital due to balloons
It marks the sixth time this month that Vilnius has had to halt air traffic over what senior EU officials described as a “hybrid threat.”
EU condemns Belarus balloon incursions after Hungary delays statement
Budapest lobbied to remove language blaming the authoritarian government of Alexander Lukashenko.
Hungary stalls EUโs โhybrid warโ verdict against Belarus
Budapestโs reluctance to point the finger has delayed the blocโs response for days.
Ukraine war briefing: Moscow under drone siege for third night running
EU edges towards using โreparations loanโ using Russian frozen assets; Kremlin pressing ahead with year-round conscription. What we know on day 1,344Ukraine sent drones towards Moscow for the third consecutive night, closing airports, Russian authoriti…
Sanction Belarus to avoid ‘spiral of escalation’ after balloon incursions, Lithuanian FM tells EU
Kฤstutis Budrys calls on Brussels to slap further sanctions on Minsk’s banking and aviation sectors to rein in Lukashenska’s ‘cross-border crime.’
Lukashenko bites back at Lithuania over balloons-induced border closureย
Vilnius is just being “petty,” Belarusian leader says.
Zelenskyy says Ukraine ready for peace talks anywhere besides Russia and Belarus โย Europe live
The Ukrainian president also stressed that they still need European financial support to continue fighting As mentioned earlier, we are expecting a press conference on the sidelines of the Nordic Council meeting today in the next twenty minutes or so, …
Lithuania closes its border with Belarus
The Baltic state condemned a violation of its airspace after dozens of helium-filled balloons launched from Belarus forced Vilnius Airport to close four times in recent days.
Lithuania accuses Belarus of ‘hybrid attack’ after contraband balloons shut airports
Lithuania accused Belarus on Monday of a โhybrid attackโ after dozens of contraband-filled balloons forced the temporary closure of two airports. The NATO and EU member said the balloons, allegedly launched by Belarusian smugglers, carried illegal cig…
Balloon-smuggling warrants new Belarus sanctions, Lithuania urges EU
Repeated incursions, some relating to “hybrid war,” should be met with trade restrictions, tariffs and air defense investments, Foreign Minister Kฤstutis Budrys tells POLITICO.
Lithuania to shoot down smuggling balloons, PM warns
Inga Ruginiene says she is taking the “strictest measures” over the balloons, used to transport cigarettes from Belarus.
Lithuania authorises shooting down of smuggling balloons from Belarus
Incursions, which PM described as โhybrid attacksโ, prompted Vilnius airport to close four times last weekEurope live โ latest updatesLithuaniaโs prime minister has authorised the shooting down of smuggling balloons that cross the border from Russiaโs …
Lithuania to permanently shut border with Belarus after onslaught of smugglersโ balloons
โWe are sending a signal to Belarus that no hybrid attack will be tolerated, and we are taking the strictest measures to stop such attacks,โ prime minister says.
Lithuania warns it will shoot down suspicious balloons from Belarus
Aerial violations have forced Baltic country to close its airspace several times, disrupting flights
Poland arrests 2 Ukrainians for spying on military
Polish authoritiesย have linked previous espionage and sabotage incidents directly to Russia or its close ally Belarus.
Lithuania shuts airports and Belarus border after weather balloon incursion
Vilnius and Kaunas airports closed down after balloons drift into countryโs airspace for third time this monthLithuania closed its two biggest airports on Friday and shut crossings on its border with Belarus after helium weather balloons drifted into i…
Bialowieza Forest at threat from military tensions along the Poland-Belarus border
Polandโs militarisation of the border zone with Belarus is threatening the exceptional biodiversity of Europeโs last primeval forest, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979. Human relationships with nature may also be impacted by the fortification of…
Journalists imprisoned in Georgia and Belarus win Sakharov prize, the EU’s top human rights award
Two journalists, one imprisoned in Belarus and the other in Georgia, have won the European Unionโs top human rights honour, the Sakharov Prize. The European Parliament, who awarded them, called them symbols of the “struggle for freedom”. FRANCE 24’s A…
Press release – Belarus: Sergey Tihanovski and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya address MEPs
In a formal sitting on Wednesday, the two prominent Belarusian opposition leaders called on the EU to keep supporting the Belarusian peopleโs struggle for freedom and democracy. Source : ยฉ European Union, 2025 – EP
Imprisoned journalists from Belarus and Georgia win EU’s Sakharov Prize for 2025
The European Parliament awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia.
Press release – Parliament calls for continued support for Belarusian democratic forces
MEPs urge sustained EU engagement with Belarus, denouncing human rights abuses and highlighting the threat posed by Russiaโs influence.Committee on Foreign Affairs Source : ยฉ European Union, 2025 – EP
Imprisoned journalists in Belarus and Georgia win top EU human rights award
Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli named as Sakharov Prize winners.
Cigarette-smuggling balloons force closure of Lithuanian airport
Vilnius airport closed overnight for safety reasons after latest incursion of balloons from Belarus Dozens of balloons used by smugglers to transport cigarettes from Belarus into Lithuania forced the temporary closure of Vilnius airport overnight.The L…
Jailed journalists in Belarus, Georgia win EUโs 2025 Sakharov human rights prize
Imprisoned journalists Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus andย Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgiaย won EUโs top human rights award, the Sakharov Prize,ย European Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced on Wednesday.
Press release – Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli: laureates of the 2025 Sakharov Prize
The two journalists, imprisoned in Belarus and Georgia, are the laureates of the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, to be awarded by Parliament on 16 December.Committee on Foreign AffairsCommittee on Development Source : ยฉ European Union, 2025…
Helium balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes shut down Lithuaniaโs main airport
Prime Minister Inga Ruginienฤ points the finger at Belarus over airspace incident.
Belarusian opposition urges EU to keep up pressure on Lukashenko
Trumpโs outreach to Minsk and a possible Putin meeting cast a shadow over Tsikhanouskayaโs appeal to the European Parliament
Ukraine war briefing: Repairs begin in bid to restore power to Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
UN watchdog says Russia and Ukraine have established special ceasefire zones to allow the repairs to be safely carried out. What we know on day 1,334Work has started to repair damaged power lines leading to Ukraineโs Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant after a …
Tunnel connecting Belarus and Poland discovered by boarder guards
Officers from the Podlaskie Border Guard Unit discovered a tunnel connecting the Belarusian border with Poland on Friday.
Blackout for blackout: Ukraine punches back for Russian attacks
Ukraine has built up its own long-range strike capability and is now punishing Russia for its attacks.
Ministers set to tackle migrant return hubs and cross-border deportation powers
Migration will also feature at next week’s EU summit as governments ramp up their battle against far-right politicians.
7 policies Britainโs Tories nabbed from Donald Trump
Beleaguered Conservatives are scrambling for policies to counter Nigel Farageโs popularity. Theyโve looked across the pond for inspiration.
Patriots for Europe group rejoices over Babiลก victory
Members of the far-right European Parliament group are ecstatic over the big win by the populist tycoon in Czech elections.
Ukraine war briefing: China providing Russia with intelligence on missile targets, Ukrainian official claims
Ukrainian intelligence official says โevidence of a high level of cooperation between Russia and China in conducting satellite reconnaissanceโ. What we know on day 1,320China is providing intelligence to Russia to enable Moscow to better launch missile…
โPeople are really dyingโ: Belarusians warn Lukashenkoโs crackdown is far from over
Those recently freed from jail say authoritarian leader is using political prisoners as bargaining chips to ease sanctionsAs the bus crossed into Lithuania, Mikola Dziadok, newly freed after five punishing years behind bars in Belarus, shouted: โGod bl…
The Orbรกn-MAGA playbook will fail to deliver
Very few following in Hungary’s footsteps are willing to recognize the long-term outcomes of a deteriorating economy, crumbling basic services and a soured public.
โHis drug is powerโ: Lukashenko reaches out to the west
President of Belarus has been edging out of the diplomatic freeze, cautiously probing for space beyond MoscowAt the presidential palace in Minsk, Europeโs longest-serving leader smiled broadly as he accepted a small metal box from a visiting US delegat…
Let Trump be Trump to save jailed Belarusians, opposition leader says
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya wants Europe to step up pressure on Minsk ruler Alexander Lukashenko.
The Kremlin Shut Down His Comedy Show. He Has Some Advice for US Talk Show Hosts.
โThis is a test,โ says Russian satirist Viktor Shenderovich.
Poland restores Chinaโs main overland trade route to Europe
Warsaw had kept border crossing with Belarus shut after Russian drones entered Polish airspace
Polandโs Tusk to reopen Belarus border
The closure was prompted by large Russian-led military exercises.
Any talk of territorial concessions to Putin is a red herring, analyst says
Speaking with FRANCE 24’s Mark Owen, Peter Zalmayev, Founder and Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative, says that Putin will only be satisfied with controlling the whole of Ukraine, in the same way that he now controls the whole of Belarus, and…
US tries to keep Russian airlines from getting their hands on sanctioned parts
The issue arose after Washington lifted sanctions against Belavia, the main carrier of Russian ally Belarus.
Macron wants a big diplomatic win on Palestinian statehood. But Europe is split. ย
The French president is seeking to build a diplomatic counterweight against U.S. support for Israel, but his efforts will do little to end the war in Gaza.
The comeback of a Soviet-era tradition: Russia hosts Intervision, Eurovision-rival song contest
Intervision revives the name of a music contest that Moscow used to stage in the Soviet era with its Eastern European satellite states. The new version will feature acts from countries Russia now considers friendly, including Belarus, Cuba, Qatar, Sau…
China, India and Belarus line up for Russiaโs rival version of Eurovision
Intervision promises to be lighter on sequins and heavier on patriotic ballads than its European counterpartRussia is gearing up to revive its Soviet-era alternative to Eurovision โ the Intervision song contest โ which begins in Moscow on Saturday, wit…
Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy claims โimportant successโ as troops push back on Russian advances
President says Ukrainian forces in east have reclaimed 160 sq km of land and cleared another 170 sq km as counteroffensive โachieving resultsโ. What we know on day 1,304See all our Russia-Ukraine war coverageUkrainian forces have pushed back some of th…
EU ‘closely’ monitors possible trade impact of Poland-Belarus border closure
The closure of all crossing points between Poland and Belarus has interrupted a traditional trade route between the EU and China.
Polandโs border closure risks choking EU-China trade
A temporary precaution taken during Russia’s recent war games is turning into a shutdown of ChinaโEU rail freight, worth โฌ25 billion annually.
Russia-Belarus drills show off Moscowโs military might, stoking tensions with NATO
Russia and Belarus on Tuesday wrapped up five days of military drills that mobilised thousands of troops and nuclear-capable bombers, a week after a Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace ratcheted up tensions with NATO and stoked fears of a spi…
EU Socialists to kick out party of Slovakiaโs Fico
Prime Minister Fico’s Smer party was suspended by European socialist alliance in 2023, and will now be expelled.
Ukraine war briefing: Russian strikes kill two as governor decries โtargeted attack on civiliansโ
Vitaliy Kim says Russian strikes on southern farm killed a tractor driver as he worked in field while huge attack reported in Zaporizhzhia city. What we know on day 1,301See all our Russia-Ukraine war coverageRussian strikes in Ukraine killed two peopl…
Russia-Belarus military exercise stirs up unease in Europeโs leaders
Presence of US officials at Zapad-2025 military drills suggests widening gulf between the EU and WashingtonOver a vast rolling field, Russian and Belarusian fighter jets drew fire as tanks shattered mock wooden houses and the buzz of drones filled the …
Belarus and Russia stage joint military drills
The BBC’s Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, reports from joint manoeuvres by Russia and Belarus, as part of the Zapad 2025 (West 2025) military drills.
Belarus and Russia’s show of firepower appears to be a message to Europe
The Zapad-2025 military drills come just days after Poland accused Moscow of violating its air space with a drone incursion.
Russia and Belarus hold joint military drill as regional tensions rise โย video report
A week after 19 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, Russia and Belarus have conducted a military exercise to rehearse ‘a defensive scenario against an imagined western invasion’. Fighter jets roared overhead, tanks shelled mock wooden houses and dr…
UK fighters to fly air defence missions over Poland โ as it happened
This live blog is closed.Russia-Belarus military exercise stirs up unease in Europeโs leadersEU trade spokesperson Olof Gill also defended the EUโs sanctions from criticism that they are not going far enough.He said:โOur assessment is that the successi…
Why Putin wonโt end his war against the West
The Russian president has pegged his political survival to a continuous confrontation with America and its allies.
NATO bulks up defences on eastern flank after Russian drone incursion
NATO said Friday it’s bulking up its defensive posture on its eastern flank bordering Belarus, Russia and Ukraine with new equipment to deter potential Russian aggression following an incursion by Russian drones into Polish territory. The alliance’s s…
Ukraine war briefing: Polandโs allies decry โflagrant violationโ; Warsaw sends troops to border to monitor Belarus drills
Poland and allies denounce Russian drones entering Polish airspace; Warsaw said it will station around 40,000 troops near the Belarus border during drills. What we know on day 1,298See all our Ukraine war coveragePoland and about 40 of its allies on Fr…
After testing Polandโs drone defenses, Russia tested its disinformation response too
Disinformation tried to blame the drone incursion on Ukraine and make out Poland to be weak and confused.
UK says ‘great news’ British national freed in Belarus release deal
Julia Fenner was given a long jail term after being detained while entering Belarus in March 2024.
Belarus prisoners released to Lithuania in US deal confused by โforced deportationsโ
Freed prisoners were near end of jail terms and should have right to stay in Belarus, say exiled opposition leadersBelarusian prisoners released from jail and exiled to Lithuania in a US-brokered deal have said they were confused over having to leave B…
‘Escalate to deescalate’: Putin seeks to push Europe, NATO to the brink and force them to stand down
Russia and key ally Belarus have begun joint military drills, amid tensions with NATO countries after Poland accused Moscow ofย breaching its airspace with attack drones. European leaders on Thursday expressed alarm over growing Russian hostility threa…
NATO on edge as Russia follows up drone incursion with Belarus military drills
Russia and Belarus begin their largest joint military drills since the invasion of Ukraine on Friday, further unnerving countries on NATOโs eastern flank just days after a Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace stoked fears of a spillover in the…
Strasbourgโs twin censure headache
In todayโs edition: the European Parliament calls for member states to recognise Palestine, France pledges to send warplanes to Poland amid a NATO defence boost, and detained EU staffer Mikalai Khilo is freed in a prisoner deal with Belarus
Russia, Belarus start โZapad 2025โ drills, putting NATO on edge after Poland drone raid
Russia and Belarus on Friday began their “Zapad 2025” joint military exercises amid escalating tensions following Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace during an attack on Ukraine earlier this week. “Zapad” (or West in Russian) drills occur ev…
Ukraine war briefing: โWasnโt a mistakeโ โ Polandโs reply after Trump speculates on drones
Experts call for integrated European defence against airborne threats; Nato allies on continent send more jets to protect Polish skies. What we know on day 1,297โIt could have been a mistake,โ Donald Trump offered when asked on Thursday about the mass …
EU official freed in Trump-brokered Belarus prisoner release
Mikalai Khilo was arrested by agents with Belarus’ KGB intelligence service, apparently for insulting Alexander Lukashenko.
Belarus frees 52 political prisoners in US-mediated release
Those released on Thursday included a veteran dissident who stood against Alexander Lukashenko in a 2010 presidential contest, an EU staff member and journalists. In response, the US lifted sanctions on Belarus’s state airline, Belavia.
Belarus frees political prisoners in exchange for easing of US sanctions
Fifty-two prisoners have been released,, but more than 1,000 political prisoners remain in jail.
EU diplomat and opposition veteran among 52 political prisoners freed by Belarus
Belarus on Thursday freed 52 political prisoners into neighbouring Lithuania following calls from US President Donald Trump for their release. Among those freed were an EU diplomat along with veteran dissident, Mikola Statkevich, who was aย 2010 presid…
Belarus frees 52 political prisoners, including foreigners, after visit by US delegation
Move seen as effort to win US favour and sanctions relief, as crackdown on dissent continuesBelarus has released 52 prisoners of various nationalities, after a visit by a US delegation to Minsk, in Alexander Lukashenkoโs latest attempt to balance ties …
US lifts some Belarus sanctions in return for prisoners release
Easing restrictions on Belavia airline is first step towards โfull normalisationโ despite Minsk aiding Moscow in its war against Ukraine
Poland and Latvia shut eastern airspace after Russian drone incursion
It’s a reaction to the incursion of about 19 Russian drones invading Polish airspace on Wednesday.
Putin and Bibi are thumbing their noses at Trump
Despite assertions to the contrary, the leaders of both Israel and Russia are, in effect, going their own merry way.
European operation identifies alleged Belarusian spy ring
A former deputy head of Moldovan intelligence reportedly arrested for treason for โtransmitting state secretsโA joint operation between several central European countries has identified an alleged Belarusian spy ring that reportedly included a former d…
6 questions about Russian drones invading Polandโs airspace
It’s the first time NATO forces have directly engaged with Russia since its invasion of Ukraine.
Germanyโs Merz says Putin deliberately targeted NATO
The drone incursion into Polish airspace showed that NATO’s defenses in Europe must improve, said the German chancellor.
Von der Leyen backs โdrone wallโ to resist Putin
The European Commission president also announces a drone alliance with Ukraine.
Ukraine war briefing: Russian drone alert in Poland before Belarus border closure
Warplanes scrambled after warning from Ukraine; Poland to seal border over Russian and Belarusโs โvery aggressiveโ Zapad war games. What we know on day 1,295Warplanes were scrambled early on Wednesday after Ukraineโs air force warned that Russian drone…
Polish president says Putin is ready to invade other countries
‘We do not trust Vladimir Putin’s good intentions,’ said Polish President Karol Nawrocki. Earlier on Tuesday, Poland announced it was closing its border with Belarus due to joint Russian-Belarusian war game maneuvers.
Poland closing Belarus border due to โaggressiveโ Russian nuclear drill, Tusk says
The Polish prime minister slammed Russian and Belarusian “provocations.”
Bayrou heads to รlysรฉe to hand in resignation as Franceโs PM โ Europe live
Emmanuel Macron to name successor โwithin daysโ as political crisis grips FranceFrance to get third PM in a yearLithuania has also said it will strengthen its borders with Belarus and Russia during the Zapad military exercise, the countryโs border guar…
NATOโs eastern flank braces for Russiaโs war games
Western observers will use Zapad 2025 to gauge the readiness of the Russian military three years after it attacked Ukraine.
Can Belarus move out of Russiaโs shadow?
With economic problems mounting as the Ukraine war continues, President Lukashenko is tentatively trying to improve ties with the west