Lithuania’s foreign minister said he would refuse talks with Belarus on reopening their border, after its President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday ordered his foreign minister to open the negotiations.

Lithuania last month closed the two border crossings with its neighbour until the end of November in response to repeated incursions by weather balloons flying from Belarus that have disrupted air traffic and caused closures at Vilnius airport.

Lithuania says the balloons are flown by smugglers transporting contraband cigarettes and blames Belarus for not stopping the practice, calling it a form of “hybrid attack”.

LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN WASHINGTON

“Lukashenko does not set the rules… My insistent recommendation to my government will be to not follow the route which they are tryi

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