DISINFO: Lithuania asks Europe for money for hybrid war with Minsk
SUMMARY
Lithuania is asking money from Europe for hybrid warfare against Minsk. Brussels promised to help Lithuania manage the migrants' crisis. Interesting, that Europe will help Lithuania when Italy, Greece and Spain were left one by one with a similar problem.
It is the result of Lithuanian policy. All three decades after its independence, Lithuania built its domestic and foreign policy on anti-Russian grounds. It was also Lithuania's ticket to the EU and NATO. The West supporting Lithuanian Russophobia with money.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about alleged Russophobia in the Baltic States.
In July and August 2021, Lithuania has faced unprecedented migration crisis with sharp increase of arrivals of migrants and asylum seekers coming from the Middle East and Africa and entering Lithuania via the border with Belarus.
Lithuania officially linked the influx of illegal migrants to the actions of Belarusian authorities. The minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis noted that “Lukashenko seeks to weaponise migration to weaken our resolve for sanctions”.
The European Union has supported Lithuania in its efforts to protect the external EU border and ensure adequate conditions for people crossing the border. Read more here.
The European Union has supported Italy, Greece and other countries during the migration crisis financially and when the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) deploys forces in the Mediterranean sea to secure the EU border, save migrants at risk and targeting people smugglers.
The accusation of Lithuania being Russophobic is a recurring one in the pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets, but it is groundless. See similar cases: Lithuania is implementing Russophobic policy in the interests of the US; Lithuania is shamelessly attacking Russia; Lithuania is using Russophobia to attract attention to itself in big European politics.