On December 8, 2025, Lithuania's State Defence Council announced plans to examine which Belarusian-owned assets could be frozen or confiscated to counter the growing threat from smugglers' weather balloons launched from Belarus. President Gitanas Nausėda stated that the council will assess what Belarusian assets are present and possible options for freezing or confiscation. The balloons, used by cigarette smugglers, have disrupted Vilnius Airport more than a dozen times in recent months and once at Kaunas Airport. Lithuania responded by closing border checkpoints with Belarus for several weeks. Minsk has refused to allow Lithuania-registered trucks to leave Belarus and requested talks at the foreign ministry level. Nausėda suggested Belarus seeks sanctions relief linked to recognition of the 2020 election and indicated that Minsk wants to discuss sanctions at a political level, specifically about lifting sanctions on potash fertilizers.

On December 8, 2025, Lithuania's State Defence Council announced plans to examine which Belarusian-owned assets could be frozen or confiscated to counter the growing threat from smugglers' weather balloons launched from Belarus. President Gitanas Nausėda stated that the council will assess what Belarusian assets are present and possible options for freezing or confiscation. The balloons, used by cigarette smugglers, have disrupted Vilnius Airport more than a dozen times in recent months and once at Kaunas Airport. Lithuania responded by closing border checkpoints with Belarus for several weeks. Minsk has refused to allow Lithuania-registered trucks to leave Belarus and requested talks at the foreign ministry level. Nausėda suggested Belarus seeks sanctions relief linked to recognition of the 2020 election and indicated that Minsk wants to discuss sanctions at a political level, specifically about lifting sanctions on potash fertilizers.