US President Donald Trump's Envoy John Cole said Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has promised to halt balloon flights from his country to Lithuania, he told Reuters on December 13.
"He recently agreed to do everything possible to halt the balloon flights," Cole said in Vilnius after two days of talks with Lukashenko.
Lithuania has accused Belarus of carrying out a "hybrid attack" and declared a state of emergency over the issue, asking parliament to provide military support to police and border guards to combat smugglers. Balloons used by cigarette smugglers have led to the closure of Vilnius airport more than a dozen times in recent months.
Lukashenko himself said on Tuesday that Lithuania was exaggerating the problem.
"I think the president of Belarus is sincerely trying to calm the situation. I think it will take some time, but I think the problem can be solved. He wants normal relations with his neighbors - that's what he assures me," Cole said.
He added: "I know that Lithuania has done everything possible to stop the cigarette recipients or whatever. So I think both sides are working."
It should be noted that on December 12, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and the US Special Envoy John Cole held a meeting.
As Ukrainian News Agency reported, Lithuania earlier appealed to the European Commission (EC) with a request to help return trucks that were stuck in Belarus after the border with the country was closed, as well as to impose additional sanctions due to smuggling balloons.
Earlier, Belarus threatened to take measures against Lithuanian trucks that remained in the country after Lithuania closed checkpoints.
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