US says Belarus agreed to stop balloon flyovers into Lithuania

By Andrius Sytas

VILNIUS, ⁠Dec 13 (Reuters) - U.S. ⁠President ‍Donald Trump's envoy John Coale said on Saturday that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko had promised ‍to stop weather balloons flying from his country ​into Lithuania.

"He agreed recently to do everything he could to stop ​the balloons," Coale told Reuters in Vilnius, after two days of talks with Lukashenko.

The balloons, used by cigarette smugglers, have caused over ​a dozen closures of Vilnius airport in recent months.

Lithuania has accused Belarus of conducting a "hybrid attack" by ​facilitating the activity, and has declared a state of emergency over the issue, ‌asking parliament to authorise military support for police and border guards to deal with the ​smugglers.

Lukashenko said on Tuesday that Lithuania ⁠was exaggerating the problem.

"I believe that the president of Belarus is sincerely trying to ‌calm it down. I think it will take some time, but I think it can be resolved. He wants normal ‌relationship with his neighbours - so he assures me", said Coale.

"I know Lithuania ‌has done everything they can to stop the receivers of the cigarettes or whatever the hell that is. So I think ‍both sides are working", he added.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on ⁠December 1 that the situation at the border was worsening, and called the balloon incursions a "hybrid attack" by Belarus that was "completely unacceptable".

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius. Editing by Justyna Pawlak and Mark Potter)

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