Lithuania has called on NATO to bolster its air defences following Russian drones from Belarus violating its airspace, one of which allegedly carried explosives, according to authorities. Vilnius says defending NATO’s eastern flank should be a shared responsibility.
Lithuania's foreign and defence ministries have formally requested NATO’s assistance in strengthening the country’s air defences in a letter to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
“This must not be only Lithuania's responsibility, because we are defending the eastern NATO flank,” said Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys on Tuesday. Lithuania, a NATO and European Union member, shares borders with both Russia and Belarus.
In one incident, a Gerbera drone — identified as a wooden replica of the Iranian-designed Shahed kamikaze drone — entered Lithuanian territory on 28 July and crashed in a military training zone roughly 100 km from the Belarusian border according to Lithuanian army officials who said the drone carried 2 kg of explosives.
Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene said that the drone may have originally been directed toward Ukraine but was diverted by Ukrainian air defences.
A separate drone incident on 10 July prompted brief emergency evacuations of top Lithuanian officials, including then-Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas and Speaker of Parliament Saulius Skvernelis. Authorities later deemed the drone non-threatening.
NATO responded by confirming it is monitoring the situation and noted that Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Gregory M. Grynkewich has the authority to take necessary defensive measures.
The alliance also highlighted ongoing efforts by member states to enhance detection and counter-drone capabilities.
President Ilham Aliyev met President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Monday, where the two leaders reaf...
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to meet in Istanbul on Friday for renewed discussions on Iran’s nu...
Limited crossings took place at Rafah on Monday, as patients and families moved through the gates for the first time in months. Photographers captured...
Yanis Varoufakis delivered a blunt assessment: the European Union has missed every major chance to reform, poisoned its own democratic debate and is n...
Web Summit Qatar 2026 opened in Doha on Sunday, drawing tens of thousands of founders, investors, policymakers and technology leaders to what organise...
President Ilham Aliyev met President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Monday, where the two leaders reaffirmed that Azerbaijan–UAE ties are built on a strategic partnership.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to meet in Istanbul on Friday for renewed discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme, according to reporting by Axios.
Limited crossings took place at Rafah on Monday, as patients and families moved through the gates for the first time in months. Photographers captured the tension, relief, and emotional toll of separation at a crossing long marked by both isolation and hope.
Web Summit Qatar 2026 opened in Doha on Sunday, drawing tens of thousands of founders, investors, policymakers and technology leaders to what organisers describe as one of the region’s largest digital economy gatherings.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States has begun negotiations with European leaders over Greenland and that an agreement is already taking shape.
The United States accused Cuba of interfering with the work of its top diplomat in Havana on Sunday (1 February) after small groups of Cubans jeered at him during meetings with residents and church representatives.
Dmitry Medvedev, said European countries have failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine and have instead inflicted serious economic damage on themselves, as he criticised EU policy, praised Donald Trump as a leader who seeks peace, and said Russia would “soon” achieve military victory in the war.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any U.S. military attack on Iran would spark a wider regional conflict, Iranian semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.
U.S. president Donald Trump said Iran is “seriously talking” with the United States and expressed hope that negotiations could lead to an outcome acceptable to Washington.
Yanis Varoufakis delivered a blunt assessment: the European Union has missed every major chance to reform, poisoned its own democratic debate and is now entering a prolonged period of structural decline.
The Kremlin has confirmed that the next round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States will be held in Abu Dhabi on 4–5 February, after the meeting was postponed last week to align the schedules of all delegations.
Hungary has vowed legal action against the European Union over a planned ban on Russian gas imports by 2027, after Brussels said national objections would not override EU law.
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has accused French President Emmanuel Macron of authorising intelligence operations aimed at eliminating “undesirable leaders” in Africa, claiming that Paris is pursuing a political comeback after losing ground in several former colonies.
Türkiye, Egypt, and Qatar are trying to organise a meeting in Ankara between White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and top Iranian officials, according to reports in the U.S. and Turkish media.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment