‘No hybrid assault shall be tolerated,’ Lithuanian PM says, with Belarus border closure
We’re additionally getting a bit extra element on the technical strategy of implementing Lithuania’s determination to shut its border with Belarus (9:49).
The border is presently closed on the premise of a short lived determination made by the nation’s border pressure, and an additional indefinite closure shall be mentioned and anticipated to be accepted on the authorities assembly on Wednesday.
The nation’s prime minister Inga Ruginienė mentioned at a press convention earlier at the moment that the federal government has already drafted the order, which incorporates solely very restricted exceptions for Lithuanian and EU residents in addition to diplomatic mail to be nonetheless allowed via the border.
“All different motion shall be halted. This sends a transparent sign to Belarus that no hybrid assault shall be tolerated right here, and we’ll take the strictest doable measures to cease such actions,” she mentioned, as quoted by public broadcaster LRT.
Share
Up to date at 06.41 EDT
Key occasions
Present key occasions solely
Please activate JavaScript to make use of this characteristic
Populist billionaire Babiš formally tasked with main talks to kind new Czech authorities
In the meantime over within the Czech Republic, the nation’s president Petr Pavel has tasked the populist billionaire Andrej Babiš with main talks on forming the brand new authorities after current parliamentary election.
Chief of the ANO (YES) motion Andrej Babiš speaks to the media. {Photograph}: Martin Divíšek/EPA
Babiš informed the president – who defeated him within the 2023 presidential elections – that the coalition talks have been already below means, and “promised handy over the textual content of the coalition settlement and programme priorities” later this week, in accordance with a readout issued by the presidential workplace.
In pointed feedback, Pavel significantly enquired concerning the new authorities’s overseas and safety coverage positions, and harassed that the brand new administration “won’t in any means weaken the ideas of our democratic state,” his workplace mentioned.
Pavel mentioned earlier than the election that he wouldn’t appoint any ministers who sought Czech withdrawal from the EU or from Nato.
Babiš additionally reportedly promised to “resolve the conflicts of curiosity” earlier than his doable appointment because the Czech Republic’s subsequent prime minister, the readout mentioned.
Remaining outcomes of the election held early this month confirmed Babiš’s ANO gained 34.5% of the vote. The centre-right Spolu coalition of the outgoing prime minister, Petr Fiala, got here second on 23.4%.
Because the election, ANO has been in talks with the right-wing, Eurosceptic Motorists and the far-right, anti-EU and anti-Nato SPD events, which collectively would maintain a mixed 108 out of the 200 seats in parliament’s decrease home, Reuters reported.
Share
Ukrainian man suspected of Nord Stream involvement will keep in Italy till Supreme Courtroom listening to, lawyer says
On the Ukrainian man suspected of involvement within the Nord Stream fuel pipelines explosion, his lawyer Nicola Canestrini mentioned in an announcement that his shopper would enchantment the choice by the court docket of appeals in Bologna.
A special part of the identical court docket had accepted the extradition in September just for Italy’s prime court docket to reject the choice over a problem with the arrest warrant issued by Germany, sending the case again for reexamination, AFP famous.
In an announcement, Canestrini mentioned the proceedings towards Kuznietsov have been “tainted by severe procedural violations undermining each legality and the elemental ensures of due course of.”
Kuznietsov claims to have been a member of the Ukrainian armed forces and in Ukraine on the time of the incident, a declare his defence workforce has mentioned would give him “useful immunity” below worldwide regulation.
“The Supreme Courtroom listening to is predicted to happen inside about one month, and [the suspect] will stay in Italy till that call is made,” lawyer Canestrini mentioned.
Share
Up to date at 07.30 EDT
‘No hybrid assault shall be tolerated,’ Lithuanian PM says, with Belarus border closure
We’re additionally getting a bit extra element on the technical strategy of implementing Lithuania’s determination to shut its border with Belarus (9:49).
The border is presently closed on the premise of a short lived determination made by the nation’s border pressure, and an additional indefinite closure shall be mentioned and anticipated to be accepted on the authorities assembly on Wednesday.
The nation’s prime minister Inga Ruginienė mentioned at a press convention earlier at the moment that the federal government has already drafted the order, which incorporates solely very restricted exceptions for Lithuanian and EU residents in addition to diplomatic mail to be nonetheless allowed via the border.
“All different motion shall be halted. This sends a transparent sign to Belarus that no hybrid assault shall be tolerated right here, and we’ll take the strictest doable measures to cease such actions,” she mentioned, as quoted by public broadcaster LRT.
Share
Up to date at 06.41 EDT
Italian court docket approves extradition of Nord Stream suspect to Germany – experiences
In the meantime, we’re getting a line from Italy that a court docket has accepted the extradition of a Ukrainian suspect within the Nord Stream explosion case to Germany, in accordance with German DPA information company and Reuters.
The suspect, recognized beforehand solely as Serhii Ok. below privateness legal guidelines, is predicted to enchantment towards the choice to Italy’s highest court docket, his defence lawyer informed Reuters.
I’ll convey you extra on this when we’ve got it.
Share
Up to date at 06.39 EDT
French police arrest two males over €88m Louvre jewel heist
Jon Henley
in Paris
Over in France, French police have arrested two suspects believed to have helped steal crown jewels value an estimated €88m (£76m) from the Louvre museum in Paris, officers have mentioned, per week after one of many nation’s most spectacular heists in a long time.
Law enforcement officials stand guard close to the Louvre Pyramid, after French police arrested suspects within the Louvre heist case, on the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. {Photograph}: Abdul Saboor/Reuters
The Paris public prosecutor confirmed media experiences on Sunday that one man had been detained at about 10pm native time on Saturday on the capital’s Charles de Gaulle airport by officers from the armed robberies and severe burglaries squad.
The prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, didn’t say what number of arrests had been made nor whether or not any jewels had been recovered, however officers near the investigation confirmed to French media {that a} second suspect had additionally been taken into custody within the Paris area.
Beccuau mentioned she regretted the untimely revelation of the arrests in a number of media shops, saying it “might solely jeopardise the work of greater than 100 investigators mobilised to recuperate the stolen jewels and apprehend all the perpetrators.”
Share
Poland detains two Ukrainians for allegedly spying for overseas intelligence
Elsewhere, Poland has detained two Ukrainians accused of accumulating particulars of troopers and significant infrastructure for overseas intelligence as Warsaw cracks down on alleged espionage by Russia and Belarus, Reuters reported.
The 2 Ukrainians have been amongst eight individuals whose detention by Poland and Romania was introduced final week, mentioned particular companies minister Tomasz Siemoniak.
“That is proof that we’re witnessing an intensification of sabotage actions and preparations for sabotage circumstances,” Siemoniak informed Polish radio on Monday.
Poland’s Inner Safety Company (ABW) mentioned the 2 Ukrainian residents, aged 32 and 34, have been detained within the southern metropolis of Katowice on 14 October.
The ABW mentioned in an announcement that the suspects had allegedly collected details about members of the Polish Armed Forces and infrastructure associated to efforts to help Ukraine.
Share
Lithuania not ruling out Nato Article 4 talks over balloons, Ruginienė says
Lithuania’s Ruginienė additionally mentioned that the nation was not ruling out the likelihood it might name for Nato’s Article 4 consultations, Reuters reported.
The Article 4 – to not be mistaken with far more severe Article 5 provision – permits international locations to name for Nato talks “each time, within the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or safety of any of the events is threatened.”
The process was solely used 9 instances in Nato’s historical past, however pretty just lately triggered by Poland and Estonia after two incidents of Russian airspace violations in September.
Share
Lithuania to shut border with Belarus, shoot down balloons, prime minister says
We’re simply getting first traces from the Lithuanian prime minister, Inga Ruginienė, following this morning’s safety council assembly.
Lithuanian prime minister Inga Ruginienė appears to be like on at a press convention. {Photograph}: Kacper Pempel/Reuters
The federal government will pursue a plan to shut its border with Belarus “apart from diplomats and EU residents leaving Belarus,” she mentioned, and pledged to shoot down any additional balloons disrupting the Lithuanian airspace.
“That is how we ship a sign to Belarus and say that no hybrid assault shall be tolerated right here, we’ll take all of the strictest measures to cease such assaults,” she mentioned in feedback reported by public broadcaster LRT.
Share
Nearly 30,000 passengers hit by disruptions at Vilnius airport final week
Based on Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT, the Vilnius Airport has reopened this morning with nearly 50 flights affected by cancellations, diversions and delays, hitting hundreds of passengers.
In complete, greater than 170 flights have been disrupted over the course of the week, complicating the journey of just about 30,000 passengers, the airport operator informed LRT.
It was defined that the choice to shut the airspace as a precaution was deemed vital as among the balloons detected close to the airport have been believed to weigh as much as 50-60 kg, and any affect with an incoming plane might have “dramatic” penalties.
Share
Morning opening: Lithuania to contemplate responding to balloons from Belarus closing its airspace
Jakub Krupa
Lithuania closed its Vilnius Airport for the fourth time in per week final evening after a number of objects, believed to be helium balloons, entered its airspace.
The balloons have been primarily believed for use by smugglers transporting contraband cigarettes from Belarus, however authorities blamed Russia and Belarus for placing extra strain on Vilnius and testing the nation’s readiness.
Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the Nationwide Disaster Administration Heart, informed the nation’s nationwide broadcaster LRT that as much as 66 objects have been noticed on radars on Sunday evening.
Deividas Matulionis, a senior advisor to Lithaunia’s president Gitanas Nausėda, mentioned it was a part of a “hybrid psychological operation” in search of to disrupt on a regular basis lifetime of Lithuanians.
“We very a lot hope that rapid motion shall be taken, however there must also be very robust diplomatic motion and sure authorized measures, which must be accepted by the Seimas as quickly as doable,” he informed LRT.
The nation’s nationwide safety council will meet at the moment to debate subsequent steps, together with potential measures on extending the non permanent closure of borders with Belarus or proscribing transit via the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
Elsewhere, I shall be keeping track of:
the German overseas minister Joseph Wadephul’s go to to Brussels the place he is because of meet Nato’s Mark Rutte and senior EU representatives,
Hungary’s Viktor Orbán’s journey to see Pope Leo on the Vatican and the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome,
and the ultimate days of the Dutch election marketing campaign forward of the polling day on Wednesday.
Tons to cowl at the moment. I’ll convey you all the most recent right here.
It’s Monday, 27 October 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa right here, and that is Europe Reside.
Good morning.
Share
