Lithuania has sent a new unit of 20 border guards to Latvia to assist in combating illegal migration on the Latvian-Belarus border. Since July, Lithuania has dispatched four such groups, coordinating closely with Latvian border authorities. This cooperation responds to significant pressure from illegal migration stemming from Belarus, which both Latvia and Lithuania accuse Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko of orchestrating to exert pressure on the European Union. Lithuania reported increased illegal migration flows, with 1,546 migrants arrested in the first half of 2026 who initially crossed illegally from Belarus or Latvia. Lithuania and Latvia have intensified border control measures, including building fence barriers. Lithuanian Interior Minister Martynas Katilinas thanked the 27 Lithuanian border guards who previously participated in the mission in Latvia, emphasizing the regional security importance. This signal reflects the secondary migration flow issue and the importance of joint regional response to migration pressure allegedly manipulated by Belarus.

Lithuania has sent a new unit of 20 border guards to Latvia to assist in combating illegal migration on the Latvian-Belarus border. Since July, Lithuania has dispatched four such groups, coordinating closely with Latvian border authorities. This cooperation responds to significant pressure from illegal migration stemming from Belarus, which both Latvia and Lithuania accuse Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko of orchestrating to exert pressure on the European Union. Lithuania reported increased illegal migration flows, with 1,546 migrants arrested in the first half of 2026 who initially crossed illegally from Belarus or Latvia. Lithuania and Latvia have intensified border control measures, including building fence barriers. Lithuanian Interior Minister Martynas Katilinas thanked the 27 Lithuanian border guards who previously participated in the mission in Latvia, emphasizing the regional security importance. This signal reflects the secondary migration flow issue and the importance of joint regional response to migration pressure allegedly manipulated by Belarus.