The Lithuanian and the Polish forces held massive military exercises the week-long drills called the Brave Griffin 24. The exercises are being held along the Suwalki gap. Watch in for more details!

Russia-Ukraine war | Polish & Lithuanian forces hold joint military drills amid Ukraine war

Ukraine war | Polish & Lithuanian forces hold military drills amid Russia Ukraine war

Two people have been detained in Poland on suspicion of attacking Leonid Volkov, an exiled top aide to the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Polish and Lithuanian police said on Friday.

Volkov suffered injuries from hammer blows in the attack on March 12 outside his home in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital.

Lithuanian counterintelligence said at the time that the attack was the work of Russian special services. The Kremlin declined to comment.

Polish police said on the social media platform X that they had arrested the two suspects in cooperation with Lithuanian police in response to a European arrest warrant.

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Separately, the deputy head of Lithuania's criminal police, Saulius Briginas, told a press conference in Vilnius that the suspects were both Polish citizens and had been detained on April 3 in Warsaw.

The two suspects have been charged in Lithuania with intentionally causing minor bodily harm to Volkov because of his beliefs, which is punishable by a fine or a jail term, chief Vilnius prosecutor Justas Laucius said.

"At this time, the charge is that the crime was committed due to (Volkov's) beliefs and his political activities", Laucius told the same news conference in Vilnius.

The suspects could be extradited to Lithuania by May, Laucius added.

<h2>SUSPECTS KNOWN TO POLICE</h2>

The two suspects were previously known to Polish police and had travelled to Lithuania to carry out the assault, said Briginas.

Laucius said he did not know whether the detainees were connected to a Polish citizen who was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of planning to cooperate with Russian foreign intelligence services for a possible assassination attempt on Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Polish police had no further comment on the arrests. The office of Poland's minister in charge of special services did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.

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Volkov himself has blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the attack. Before the assault he had told Reuters that leaders of Navalny's movement in exile feared for their lives.

On Friday, Volkov thanked Lithuanian police for working "energetically and persistently" on the case.

"I am very glad that this work has been effective", he said on X. "Well, we'll find out the details soon. Can't wait to find out!"

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda thanked Poland and Lithuania's intelligence service for securing the arrests.

Navalny, Putin's most prominent critic, died in February in an Arctic prison. Russian authorities say he died of natural causes. His followers believe he was killed by the authorities, which the Kremlin denies.

Two people have been detained in Poland on suspicion of attacking Leonid Volkov, an exiled top aide to the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Polish and Lithuanian police said on Friday.

Two people have been detained in Poland on suspicion of attacking Leonid Volkov, an exiled top aide to the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Polish and Lithuanian police said on Friday. Volkov suffered injuries from hammer blows in the attack on March 12 outside his home in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital. Lithuanian counterintelligence said at the time that the attack was the work of Russian special services. The Kremlin declined to comment. Polish police said on the social media platform X that they had arrested the two suspects in cooperation with Lithuanian police in response to a European arrest warrant. Also Read | Finland accuses Russia of orchestrating migrant crisis on border, requests help from EU Separately, the deputy head of Lithuania's criminal police, Saulius Briginas, told a press conference in Vilnius that the suspects were both Polish citizens and had been detained on April 3 in Warsaw. The two suspects have been charged in Lithuania with intentionally causing minor bodily harm to Volkov because of his beliefs, which is punishable by a fine or a jail term, chief Vilnius prosecutor Justas Laucius said. "At this time, the charge is that the crime was committed due to (Volkov's) beliefs and his political activities", Laucius told the same news conference in Vilnius. The suspects could be extradited to Lithuania by May, Laucius added. SUSPECTS KNOWN TO POLICE The two suspects were previously known to Polish police and had travelled to Lithuania to carry out the assault, said Briginas. Laucius said he did not know whether the detainees were connected to a Polish citizen who was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of planning to cooperate with Russian foreign intelligence services for a possible assassination attempt on Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. Polish police had no further comment on the arrests. The office of Poland's minister in charge of special services did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment. Also Read | US 'not involved in any offensive operation' after Israel carries retaliatory attacks against Iran Volkov himself has blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the attack. Before the assault he had told Reuters that leaders of Navalny's movement in exile feared for their lives. On Friday, Volkov thanked Lithuanian police for working "energetically and persistently" on the case. "I am very glad that this work has been effective", he said on X. "Well, we'll find out the details soon. Can't wait to find out!" Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda thanked Poland and Lithuania's intelligence service for securing the arrests. Navalny, Putin's most prominent critic, died in February in an Arctic prison. Russian authorities say he died of natural causes. His followers believe he was killed by the authorities, which the Kremlin denies.

Two suspects detained in Poland over attack on Navalny aide Leonid Volkov in Lithuania

Germany has started deploying troops to NATO ally Lithuania, with the country's defence minister calling it an "important step". It is the first time since World War II that German soldiers are stationed outside the country on a permanent basis.

First German troops arrive in Lithuania; Kremlin issues warning

First German soldiers arrive in Lithuania for permanent force

A close ally of Alexei Navalny, Leonid Volkov, was attacked with a hammer and tear gas outside his house in Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania.&nbsp;

The incident took place days after Russian opposition leader&nbsp;Alexei Navalny died in the Arctic prison under mysterious circumstances.&nbsp;

Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said that an unknown assailant assaulted Volkov with a hammer and tear gas while he was sitting in his car on Tuesday night (Mar 12). He added that the assailant's motive is unknown.

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“Volkov has just been attacked outside his house. Someone broke a car window and sprayed teargas in his eyes, after which the attacker started hitting Leonid with a hammer,” wrote former Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.&nbsp;

<h2>Lithuania expresses 'shock', investigates the incident</h2>

According to the Reuters news agency, the Lithuanian police were informed of the incident and have been investigating the attack.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said that the attack reported is “shocking”.

“News about Leonid’s assault is shocking. Relevant authorities are at work. Perpetrators will have to answer for their crime,” wrote Landsbergis on X.

The Lithuanian police told the local news outlet Delfi that “a man, a Russian citizen, was beaten near his home in Vilnius” on Tuesday evening.

Volkov recently urged Russians to turn out in big numbers for an election-day protest ahead of the upcoming presidential elections.

Ivan Zhdanov, another member of Navalny's team,&nbsp;shared pictures of Volkov on social media which showed his bloodied lower left leg and what appeared like a bruise to his temple.

Watch:&nbsp;Alexei Navalny, Putin critic and Russian opposition leader dies in jail

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/alexei-navalny-putin-critic-and-russian-opposition-leader-dies-in-jail-690985/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

While informing if the assailant shouted anything during an attack, Zhdanov said, "Everything happened in silence. Of course this is a clear political attack, there is no doubt here".

Meanwhile, Volkov's wife said that he had broken his arm in the attack, however, now he has come back home from hospital adding that he was not able to walk due to the hammer blows to his leg.

"We will all work even more. And with even greater anger," she wrote on X.&nbsp;

Volkov has stayed outside Russia for a few years to ensure his own safety and served as chief-of-staff of Navalny up until the opposition leader lost his life in the Russian Arctic prison last month while serving a 19-year&nbsp;prison term.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A close ally of Alexei Navalny, Leonid Volkov, was attacked with a hammer and tear gas outside his house in Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania. The incident took place days after Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in the Arctic prison under mysterious circumstances.

A close ally of Alexei Navalny, Leonid Volkov, was attacked with a hammer and tear gas outside his house in Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania. The incident took place days after Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in the Arctic prison under mysterious circumstances. Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said that an unknown assailant assaulted Volkov with a hammer and tear gas while he was sitting in his car on Tuesday night (Mar 12). He added that the assailant's motive is unknown. Also Read: Prisoner exchange negotiations were ‘underway’ with Kremlin before Navalny’s death: Report “Volkov has just been attacked outside his house. Someone broke a car window and sprayed teargas in his eyes, after which the attacker started hitting Leonid with a hammer,” wrote former Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Lithuania expresses 'shock', investigates the incident According to the Reuters news agency, the Lithuanian police were informed of the incident and have been investigating the attack. Meanwhile, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said that the attack reported is “shocking”. “News about Leonid’s assault is shocking. Relevant authorities are at work. Perpetrators will have to answer for their crime,” wrote Landsbergis on X. The Lithuanian police told the local news outlet Delfi that “a man, a Russian citizen, was beaten near his home in Vilnius” on Tuesday evening. Volkov recently urged Russians to turn out in big numbers for an election-day protest ahead of the upcoming presidential elections. Ivan Zhdanov, another member of Navalny's team, shared pictures of Volkov on social media which showed his bloodied lower left leg and what appeared like a bruise to his temple. Watch: Alexei Navalny, Putin critic and Russian opposition leader dies in jail While informing if the assailant shouted anything during an attack, Zhdanov said, "Everything happened in silence. Of course this is a clear political attack, there is no doubt here". Meanwhile, Volkov's wife said that he had broken his arm in the attack, however, now he has come back home from hospital adding that he was not able to walk due to the hammer blows to his leg. "We will all work even more. And with even greater anger," she wrote on X. Volkov has stayed outside Russia for a few years to ensure his own safety and served as chief-of-staff of Navalny up until the opposition leader lost his life in the Russian Arctic prison last month while serving a 19-year prison term. (With inputs from agencies)

Alexei Navalny's ally Leonid Volkov attacked with hammer in Lithuanian capital

Reacting to recent attacks on Indian students in the US, the White House has asserted that there is no such excuse for violence based on race, gender or any other factor and called it unacceptable.

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Front-line states of NATO are already getting ready for the next conflict with Moscow.

The military ministers of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia approved a new plan in January to construct a vast network of fortifications with the goal of preventing and defeating the kind of Russian attack that has long been feared in northeastern Europe.

With 210 miles of border with Russia, most of which is thought to be nearly inaccessible due to dense forests and wetlands, Estonian officials stated their government is building over 600 bunkers in the hopes of averting a hypothetical Moscow invasion and takeover.

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"Regaining territory that has already been gained is very difficult and comes at significant cost of human life, time, and material resources," stated Susan Lilleväli, undersecretary for defence preparation at the Estonian Ministry of Defence. "The war in Ukraine has demonstrated this." During a press event on Thursday, she discussed the 60 million euro ($64.7 million) project.

Lilleväli stated, "We need physical installations in addition to weaponry, ammunition, and troops to protect our countries efficiently."

Baltic military and civilian authorities have bitterly denounced their role as a trip wire for NATO. The alliance underwent a strategic shift in response to Russia's disastrous invasion and occupation of large areas of Ukraine in 2022, as the Baltic states witnessed the atrocities committed against Ukrainians in Mariupol, the suburbs of Kyiv, and other places.

According to the NATO tripwire plan, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas declared in 2022 that Russian forces would "wipe&nbsp;from the map" her country.

"With the purpose of defending every inch of allied land at all times," Lilleväli told reporters on Thursday, the new defensive line in the Baltic is in keeping with NATO's modified "forward defence posture and deterrence by denial" policy.

"The primary objective of these installations is to prevent military conflict in our region by altering the enemy's calculation," stated Lilleväli. "As the battle in Ukraine has shown, counter-mobility and fortification tactics are absolutely viable even in this century, and have played a big part in wars in our region in history, for example in Finland."

"In the event of military incursions, the installations should impede the enemy's march already at our borders and deny them the opportunity to move fast in the territory of the Baltic countries," she stated.

In order to "avoid leaving any loopholes, as the security situation in our region does not show any signs of improving at this point," Lilleväli stated that coordination with Lithuania and Latvia is necessary.

Planners in Lithuania will pay close attention to the Suwałki Gap. This narrow stretch of territory separates Belarus from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, which if occupied would cut off the Baltic republics from Poland and the other western European allies.

The boundaries of Narva in the north and Võru in the south will be the focal points of Estonia's defenses.

The Estonians have a strong defensive barrier thanks to Lake Peipus, which makes up a large portion of their border with Russia. According to Lilleväli, the main goal is to make sure that everyone is prepared "to combat the enemy from the first meter and first hour."

In Ukraine, Russia's ground soldiers have suffered severe mauling. According to European sources who previously spoke with Newsweek, the forces tasked with spearheading any potential invasion of the Baltic republics are among those who have sustained significant casualties—up to 40 per cent in some circumstances.

The Russian military is more seasoned despite being degraded. NATO officials have frequently stated that Moscow continues to represent a serious threat and will require some time to reassemble.

Thus far, 600 bunkers have been planned by Estonian officials. These will be supplied by adjacent munitions and equipment stockpiles. Mock-ups provided to Newsweek show that the majority will be cuboid concrete "cellars" buried in the ground with a firing trench that is partially concealed and runs perpendicular to the entrance.

Testing is scheduled to begin later this year, and prototypes are now being built. Starting in early 2025, Estonia aims to erect its first bunkers.

According to Lilleväli's consultant, reserves Lieutenant Colonel Kaido Tiitus, "it's basically a cellar that is built underneath." The bunkers, which will have a total area of about 35 square meters (377 square feet), can accommodate 10 soldiers each along with all necessary supplies. According to Tiitus, they will be made for soldiers to "dwell in" for extended periods of time and to "offer protection against the enemy's artillery projectiles."

(With inputs from agencies)

Front-line states of NATO are already getting ready for the next conflict with Moscow. The military ministers of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia approved a new plan in January to construct a vast network of fortifications with the goal of preventing and defeating the kind of Russian attack that has long been feared in northeastern Europe.

Front-line states of NATO are already getting ready for the next conflict with Moscow. The military ministers of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia approved a new plan in January to construct a vast network of fortifications with the goal of preventing and defeating the kind of Russian attack that has long been feared in northeastern Europe. With 210 miles of border with Russia, most of which is thought to be nearly inaccessible due to dense forests and wetlands, Estonian officials stated their government is building over 600 bunkers in the hopes of averting a hypothetical Moscow invasion and takeover. Also Read: NATO chief urges member nations to ramp up ammunition "Regaining territory that has already been gained is very difficult and comes at significant cost of human life, time, and material resources," stated Susan Lilleväli, undersecretary for defence preparation at the Estonian Ministry of Defence. "The war in Ukraine has demonstrated this." During a press event on Thursday, she discussed the 60 million euro ($64.7 million) project. Lilleväli stated, "We need physical installations in addition to weaponry, ammunition, and troops to protect our countries efficiently." Baltic military and civilian authorities have bitterly denounced their role as a trip wire for NATO. The alliance underwent a strategic shift in response to Russia's disastrous invasion and occupation of large areas of Ukraine in 2022, as the Baltic states witnessed the atrocities committed against Ukrainians in Mariupol, the suburbs of Kyiv, and other places. According to the NATO tripwire plan, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas declared in 2022 that Russian forces would "wipe from the map" her country. "With the purpose of defending every inch of allied land at all times," Lilleväli told reporters on Thursday, the new defensive line in the Baltic is in keeping with NATO's modified "forward defence posture and deterrence by denial" policy. "The primary objective of these installations is to prevent military conflict in our region by altering the enemy's calculation," stated Lilleväli. "As the battle in Ukraine has shown, counter-mobility and fortification tactics are absolutely viable even in this century, and have played a big part in wars in our region in history, for example in Finland." "In the event of military incursions, the installations should impede the enemy's march already at our borders and deny them the opportunity to move fast in the territory of the Baltic countries," she stated. In order to "avoid leaving any loopholes, as the security situation in our region does not show any signs of improving at this point," Lilleväli stated that coordination with Lithuania and Latvia is necessary. Planners in Lithuania will pay close attention to the Suwałki Gap. This narrow stretch of territory separates Belarus from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, which if occupied would cut off the Baltic republics from Poland and the other western European allies. The boundaries of Narva in the north and Võru in the south will be the focal points of Estonia's defenses. The Estonians have a strong defensive barrier thanks to Lake Peipus, which makes up a large portion of their border with Russia. According to Lilleväli, the main goal is to make sure that everyone is prepared "to combat the enemy from the first meter and first hour." In Ukraine, Russia's ground soldiers have suffered severe mauling. According to European sources who previously spoke with Newsweek, the forces tasked with spearheading any potential invasion of the Baltic republics are among those who have sustained significant casualties—up to 40 per cent in some circumstances. The Russian military is more seasoned despite being degraded. NATO officials have frequently stated that Moscow continues to represent a serious threat and will require some time to reassemble. Thus far, 600 bunkers have been planned by Estonian officials. These will be supplied by adjacent munitions and equipment stockpiles. Mock-ups provided to Newsweek show that the majority will be cuboid concrete "cellars" buried in the ground with a firing trench that is partially concealed and runs perpendicular to the entrance. Testing is scheduled to begin later this year, and prototypes are now being built. Starting in early 2025, Estonia aims to erect its first bunkers. According to Lilleväli's consultant, reserves Lieutenant Colonel Kaido Tiitus, "it's basically a cellar that is built underneath." The bunkers, which will have a total area of about 35 square meters (377 square feet), can accommodate 10 soldiers each along with all necessary supplies. According to Tiitus, they will be made for soldiers to "dwell in" for extended periods of time and to "offer protection against the enemy's artillery projectiles." (With inputs from agencies)

NATO states plan to construct hundreds of bunkers to thwart Russian invasion

Neel Acharya, an Indian student studying at Purdue University, who was missing since Sunday was confirmed dead by authorities in the US state of Indiana. Earlier, Vivek Saini, an MBA student in Georgia's Lithonia, was brutally killed by a homeless drug-addict.

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The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky was in Estonia as part of his two-day visit to the Baltic states. The trip was aimed to stop War fatigue amongst Ukraine's Western allies and also to secure more financial and military aid for the country.

Russia-Ukraine war: Zelensky thanks Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia supporting its war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Lithuania on Wednesday (Jan 10) marking the beginning of his tour to three Baltic states to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine with Russia and Kyiv’s plans to join the European Union and NATO.&nbsp;

<h2>Zelensky in Vilnius&nbsp;</h2>

The Ukrainian president took to X to announce his arrival at the Lithuanian capital. The three Baltic states and all former Soviet republics – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – have been Ukraine’s staunchest allies since the beginning of the war.&nbsp;

During his visit to&nbsp;Lithuania, the Ukrainian president spoke about how&nbsp;his country, facing renewed aerial attacks from Russia is lacking&nbsp;air-defence systems.&nbsp;

He also spoke about any&nbsp;delays in Western aid to Kyiv will&nbsp;embolden the Kremlin. "He (Russian President Vladimir Putin) is not going to stop. He wants to occupy us completely," said the Ukrainian president.&nbsp;

He added, "And sometimes, the insecurity of partners regarding financial and military aid to Ukraine only increases Russia's courage and strength."

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-war-enters-new-phase-putin-trying-to-convince-west-to-betray-ukraine-676231">Russia-Ukraine war enters new phase, Putin 'trying to convince West to betray Ukraine'</a>

“Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are our reliable friends and principled partners. Today, I arrived in Vilnius before going to Tallinn and Riga,” said Zelensky in a post on X upon his arrival in Vilnius.&nbsp;

Zelensky is also set to hold talks with his Lithuanian counterpart President Gitanas Nausėda, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, as well as lawmakers and people from the Ukrainian community in Lithuania.&nbsp;

“Security, EU and NATO integration, cooperation on electronic warfare and drones, and further coordination of European support are all on the agenda,” said the Ukrainian president.&nbsp;

According to Nauseda’s office, the presidents of both countries will hold talks and a joint press conference. The Ukrainian leader will also give a public speech.&nbsp;

<h2>First official trip abroad in 2024</h2>

The Baltic tour marks Zelensky’s first official trip abroad this year. The visit to the three countries also comes as other Kyiv allies in the West are hesitant to give the war-torn country more aid, nearly two years since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;

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On Monday (Jan 8), German Chancellor Olaf Scholz blasted several countries in the 27-nation bloc for not delivering sufficient weapons to Ukraine amid its war with Russia.&nbsp;

He noted that with American military assistance to Ukraine stalled in the United States Congress, allies in the EU need to step up, reiterating that the German government would support Kyiv for as long as necessary.

While Berlin had faced criticism during the initial months of the invasion for failing to step up and provide military backing to Kyiv, it is now among the top providers of both weapons and financial aid to the war-torn country.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-zelensky-says-trump-presidency-could-have-strong-impact-on-war-671508">Russia-Ukraine war: Zelensky says Trump presidency could have 'strong impact' on war</a>

“As significant as the German contribution is, it will not be enough to ensure Ukraine’s security in the long run,” said Scholz, on Monday.&nbsp;

He added, “Therefore I call on allies in the European Union to strengthen their efforts regarding Ukraine. The planned weapons deliveries to Ukraine of most EU member states are not enough.”&nbsp;

Late last year, Germany agreed to double the country’s military aid for Ukraine in 2024 to 8 billion euros ($8.8 billion).&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Lithuania on Wednesday (Jan 10) marking the beginning of his tour to three Baltic states to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine with Russia and Kyiv’s plans to join the European Union and NATO.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Lithuania on Wednesday (Jan 10) marking the beginning of his tour to three Baltic states to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine with Russia and Kyiv’s plans to join the European Union and NATO. Zelensky in Vilnius The Ukrainian president took to X to announce his arrival at the Lithuanian capital. The three Baltic states and all former Soviet republics – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – have been Ukraine’s staunchest allies since the beginning of the war. During his visit to Lithuania, the Ukrainian president spoke about how his country, facing renewed aerial attacks from Russia is lacking air-defence systems. He also spoke about any delays in Western aid to Kyiv will embolden the Kremlin. "He (Russian President Vladimir Putin) is not going to stop. He wants to occupy us completely," said the Ukrainian president. He added, "And sometimes, the insecurity of partners regarding financial and military aid to Ukraine only increases Russia's courage and strength." ALSO WATCH | Russia-Ukraine war enters new phase, Putin 'trying to convince West to betray Ukraine' “Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are our reliable friends and principled partners. Today, I arrived in Vilnius before going to Tallinn and Riga,” said Zelensky in a post on X upon his arrival in Vilnius. Zelensky is also set to hold talks with his Lithuanian counterpart President Gitanas Nausėda, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, as well as lawmakers and people from the Ukrainian community in Lithuania. “Security, EU and NATO integration, cooperation on electronic warfare and drones, and further coordination of European support are all on the agenda,” said the Ukrainian president. According to Nauseda’s office, the presidents of both countries will hold talks and a joint press conference. The Ukrainian leader will also give a public speech. First official trip abroad in 2024 The Baltic tour marks Zelensky’s first official trip abroad this year. The visit to the three countries also comes as other Kyiv allies in the West are hesitant to give the war-torn country more aid, nearly two years since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ALSO READ | Kyiv mayor under scrutiny for buying $6 million mansion in Germany: Reports On Monday (Jan 8), German Chancellor Olaf Scholz blasted several countries in the 27-nation bloc for not delivering sufficient weapons to Ukraine amid its war with Russia. He noted that with American military assistance to Ukraine stalled in the United States Congress, allies in the EU need to step up, reiterating that the German government would support Kyiv for as long as necessary. While Berlin had faced criticism during the initial months of the invasion for failing to step up and provide military backing to Kyiv, it is now among the top providers of both weapons and financial aid to the war-torn country. ALSO READ | Russia-Ukraine war: Zelensky says Trump presidency could have 'strong impact' on war “As significant as the German contribution is, it will not be enough to ensure Ukraine’s security in the long run,” said Scholz, on Monday. He added, “Therefore I call on allies in the European Union to strengthen their efforts regarding Ukraine. The planned weapons deliveries to Ukraine of most EU member states are not enough.” Late last year, Germany agreed to double the country’s military aid for Ukraine in 2024 to 8 billion euros ($8.8 billion). (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine’s Zelensky arrives in Lithuania on visit to Baltic allies with focus on war, EU integration

The Lithuanian government on Wednesday (Aug 16) temporarily shut down two of its six border checkpoints with Belarus amidst tensions over the presence of the Russian mercenary group Wagner in the eastern Europe country.

The government said that they are taking this decision due to “geopolitical circumstances.”

Tverecius and Sumskas crossing points, which were not used by commercial vehicles, will be closed and traffic will be diverted to the Medininkai border checkpoint, Lithuania announced.

Lithuania is the second neighbour after Poland to shut border checkpoints with Belarus.

Poland’s move stemmed from the imprisonment of a journalist of Polish origin and the expulsions of Polish diplomats.

Last week, Poland announced that it will move 10,000 additional troops to the Belarus border to support existing guards.

<h2>'Temporary measure'</h2>

“The main goal is to temporarily suspend operations at these two points from August 18,” Deputy Minister of Transport Agnė Vaiciukeviciūte said, according to AP news agency.

He said that the decision would allow the officers to perform better border control checks at other points.

Once part of the Soviet Union, Lithuania declared its independence around 33 years ago. It now belongs to the West-led NATO and the European Union and has been a strong supporter of Ukraine.

The Baltic nation has also emerged as a refuge for those who have fled an authoritarian crackdown in neighbouring Belarus, a Putin ally, and increased repression in Russia.

Lithuania has been repeatedly warning its Western allies that Wagner mercenaries could disguise themselves as asylum seekers trying to cross Belarus’s borders with EU member states, or stage provocations involving refugees.

“It could be some groups of refugees, irregular migrants being transferred in order to cause some kind of unrest,” Lithuanian deputy interior minister Arnoldas Abramavičius said in July.

Though it is unknown how many Wagner troops are present in Belarus, the commander of the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service, Rustamas Liubajevas, has pegged the number up to 4,500, with some of them stationed close to the Lithuanian and Polish borders.

<h2>Eastern European countries wary of Belarus&nbsp;</h2>

The other neighbouring country that has been observing the border situation is Lativa, which mobilised additional guards on Tuesday to strengthen the protection of the external state border, the LETA news agency said.

According to reports, the decision was taken due to the sharp increase in the hybrid threat at the Latvian-Belarusian border over the past days, when 96 attempts by people to cross the state border were detected, as well as the increased involvement of the Belarusian authorities in organising the flow of illegal immigrants.

Latvia believes that these are attempts by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko’s regime to push migrants across borders as a method of hybrid warfare against these countries.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

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The Lithuanian government on Wednesday (Aug 16) temporarily shut down two of its six border checkpoints with Belarus amidst tensions over the presence of the Russian mercenary group Wagner in the eastern Europe country.

The Lithuanian government on Wednesday (Aug 16) temporarily shut down two of its six border checkpoints with Belarus amidst tensions over the presence of the Russian mercenary group Wagner in the eastern Europe country. The government said that they are taking this decision due to “geopolitical circumstances.” Tverecius and Sumskas crossing points, which were not used by commercial vehicles, will be closed and traffic will be diverted to the Medininkai border checkpoint, Lithuania announced. Lithuania is the second neighbour after Poland to shut border checkpoints with Belarus. Poland’s move stemmed from the imprisonment of a journalist of Polish origin and the expulsions of Polish diplomats. Last week, Poland announced that it will move 10,000 additional troops to the Belarus border to support existing guards. 'Temporary measure' “The main goal is to temporarily suspend operations at these two points from August 18,” Deputy Minister of Transport Agnė Vaiciukeviciūte said, according to AP news agency. He said that the decision would allow the officers to perform better border control checks at other points. Once part of the Soviet Union, Lithuania declared its independence around 33 years ago. It now belongs to the West-led NATO and the European Union and has been a strong supporter of Ukraine. The Baltic nation has also emerged as a refuge for those who have fled an authoritarian crackdown in neighbouring Belarus, a Putin ally, and increased repression in Russia. Lithuania has been repeatedly warning its Western allies that Wagner mercenaries could disguise themselves as asylum seekers trying to cross Belarus’s borders with EU member states, or stage provocations involving refugees. “It could be some groups of refugees, irregular migrants being transferred in order to cause some kind of unrest,” Lithuanian deputy interior minister Arnoldas Abramavičius said in July. Though it is unknown how many Wagner troops are present in Belarus, the commander of the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service, Rustamas Liubajevas, has pegged the number up to 4,500, with some of them stationed close to the Lithuanian and Polish borders. Eastern European countries wary of Belarus The other neighbouring country that has been observing the border situation is Lativa, which mobilised additional guards on Tuesday to strengthen the protection of the external state border, the LETA news agency said. According to reports, the decision was taken due to the sharp increase in the hybrid threat at the Latvian-Belarusian border over the past days, when 96 attempts by people to cross the state border were detected, as well as the increased involvement of the Belarusian authorities in organising the flow of illegal immigrants. Latvia believes that these are attempts by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko’s regime to push migrants across borders as a method of hybrid warfare against these countries. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

After Poland, Lithuania closes border checkpoints with Belarus due to ‘geopolitical circumstances’

Latvia’s defence minister, on Tuesday (August 15), ordered the army to help guard the country’s border with Belarus, after a reported 96 attempts by illegal immigrants to enter the country in 24 hours. This also comes amid mounting tensions between the Russian ally and another European Union member nation, Poland, along their shared border.&nbsp;

<h3>Situation at Latvia-Belarus border</h3>

Latvia also recalled Border Guard officers from their holidays on Tuesday to help with patrols. In a statement, the Latvian Border Guard said that it has information about a “possible increase in hybrid threats,” adding that Belarusian authorities were increasingly involved in organising the flow of illegal immigrants.&nbsp;

Notably, Vilnius’ statement echoes similar accusations made by Warsaw in recent weeks which has also accused Minsk and Moscow of organising <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poland-to-send-more-troops-to-border-with-belarus-accuses-moscow-minsk-of-organising-new-migrant-influx-623538">another migrant influx</a> at their border.&nbsp;

This comes as EU member nations – Latvia, Lithuania and Poland – which share a border with Belarus, have been increasingly&nbsp;worried about border crossings since hundreds of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group members were sent to Minsk at the invitation of President Alexander Lukashenko.

<h2>Poland’s accusations against Belarus</h2>

Poland has been ramping up security along its border with Belarus – a close ally of Russia – after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poland-detains-two-russians-for-spreading-wagner-propaganda-625488">Wagner</a> sent its fighters&nbsp;to Minsk in exile following their chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s aborted mutiny in Russia.&nbsp;

Warsaw is planning to move up to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poland-to-deploy-around-10000-soldiers-to-border-with-belarus-624520">10,000 additional troops</a> to the border with Belarus to support the Border Guard, said Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, on Thursday (August 10).&nbsp;

Earlier this month, Polish Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Wasik accused Belarus and Russia of organising another migrant influx at their border. “We’re talking about an operation organised by the Russian and Belarusian secret services that is getting more and more intense,” said Wasik.&nbsp;

Similar accusations were made against Minsk and Moscow starting in 2021 when tens of thousands of migrants and refugees crossed or attempted to cross into Poland from neighbouring Belarus. Latvia and Lithuania also faced an immigration crisis&nbsp;around that time, when thousands of people sought to enter the&nbsp;three EU countries. &nbsp;

<h2>Ukraine pours millions into fortifying border with Russia, Belarus</h2>

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, on Tuesday (August 16), also announced that the country will build new fortifications and military infrastructure in northeast regions that border Russia and Belarus.&nbsp;

This comes as Ukraine after its counteroffensive&nbsp;reportedly managed to regain some of its previously Russian-occupied territory and has maintained a significant force in the north.&nbsp;

The Ukrainian PM took to Telegram and said, “At the request of Kharkiv and Chernihiv...we are allocating 911.5 million hryvnias ($24.7 million) for Kharkiv and 363 million ($9.8 million) for Chernihiv to build military engineering and fortification structures.”&nbsp;

The Chernihiv region that borders Russia and Belarus was partially occupied at the beginning of Moscow’s all-out invasion of Kyiv, in February 2022, but it was reportedly later liberated.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

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Latvia’s defence minister, on Tuesday (August 15), ordered the army to help guard the country’s border with Belarus, after a reported 96 attempts by illegal immigrants to enter the country in 24 hours.

Latvia’s defence minister, on Tuesday (August 15), ordered the army to help guard the country’s border with Belarus, after a reported 96 attempts by illegal immigrants to enter the country in 24 hours. This also comes amid mounting tensions between the Russian ally and another European Union member nation, Poland, along their shared border. Situation at Latvia-Belarus border Latvia also recalled Border Guard officers from their holidays on Tuesday to help with patrols. In a statement, the Latvian Border Guard said that it has information about a “possible increase in hybrid threats,” adding that Belarusian authorities were increasingly involved in organising the flow of illegal immigrants. Notably, Vilnius’ statement echoes similar accusations made by Warsaw in recent weeks which has also accused Minsk and Moscow of organising another migrant influx at their border. This comes as EU member nations – Latvia, Lithuania and Poland – which share a border with Belarus, have been increasingly worried about border crossings since hundreds of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group members were sent to Minsk at the invitation of President Alexander Lukashenko. Poland’s accusations against Belarus Poland has been ramping up security along its border with Belarus – a close ally of Russia – after Wagner sent its fighters to Minsk in exile following their chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s aborted mutiny in Russia. Warsaw is planning to move up to 10,000 additional troops to the border with Belarus to support the Border Guard, said Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, on Thursday (August 10). Earlier this month, Polish Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Wasik accused Belarus and Russia of organising another migrant influx at their border. “We’re talking about an operation organised by the Russian and Belarusian secret services that is getting more and more intense,” said Wasik. Similar accusations were made against Minsk and Moscow starting in 2021 when tens of thousands of migrants and refugees crossed or attempted to cross into Poland from neighbouring Belarus. Latvia and Lithuania also faced an immigration crisis around that time, when thousands of people sought to enter the three EU countries. Ukraine pours millions into fortifying border with Russia, Belarus Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, on Tuesday (August 16), also announced that the country will build new fortifications and military infrastructure in northeast regions that border Russia and Belarus. This comes as Ukraine after its counteroffensive reportedly managed to regain some of its previously Russian-occupied territory and has maintained a significant force in the north. The Ukrainian PM took to Telegram and said, “At the request of Kharkiv and Chernihiv...we are allocating 911.5 million hryvnias ($24.7 million) for Kharkiv and 363 million ($9.8 million) for Chernihiv to build military engineering and fortification structures.” The Chernihiv region that borders Russia and Belarus was partially occupied at the beginning of Moscow’s all-out invasion of Kyiv, in February 2022, but it was reportedly later liberated. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Latvia sends army to guard border with Belarus after nearly 100 illegal crossing attempts in 24 hours

The Wagner organisation, a mercenary organisation that rose to prominence following its open rebellion against Russian President Vladimir Putin at an abortive mutiny attempt, is once again in the spotlight. Poland is now concerned about the group's activities.

Poland, Lithuania mull shutting borders over Wagner threat

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, on Saturday (July 29) said that a group of a hundred soldiers from Russia’s Wagner mercenary group have moved closer to the Belarusian city of Grodno near the Polish border. This comes weeks after Poland’s defence minister said that they are moving more than 1,000 troops to the east of the country amid concerns over the presence of Wagner fighters in the neighbouring country.&nbsp;

<h2>Polish PM’s warning</h2>

Morawiecki warned that the Wagner fighters – who are living in exile in Belarus after their chief Yevgeny Prigozhin aborted a mutiny in Russia – may engage in what Poland describes as “hybrid warfare,” where the Russian group's fighters&nbsp;in Belarus could facilitate illegal migration from Belarus, said the Polish PM. &nbsp;

The fighters could pose as migrants from the city of Grodno, close to the Polish and Lithuanian borders, and enter the European Union, said Morawiecki. Poland, a former Warsaw Pact member and now a member of the United States-led NATO military alliance, has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022.&nbsp;

However, Warsaw has also expressed concerns about the possible spillover of the Ukraine war onto its territory.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-to-spread-poland-to-move-soldiers-to-east-due-to-wagner-risks-618116">Will Ukraine war expand to other regions? Poland moving troops over Wagner risk from Belarus</a>

“The situation is getting increasingly dangerous...Most likely they (the Wagner personnel) will be disguised as the Belarusian border guard and help illegal migrants get to the Polish territory (and) destabilise Poland,” said Morawiecki&nbsp;during a press conference in western Poland.

“This is certainly a step towards a further hybrid attack on Polish territory,” he added. Notably, the Polish PM did not give a source of information that Wagner fighters were moving closer to Grodno.&nbsp;

However, given the location of the city, it may be potentially significant as it is near the Suwalki Gap, a strategic strip of 95 kilometres of land along the Polish-Lithuanian border, which divides Belarus, Russia’s ally, from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

According to Morawiecki, there have been 16,000 attempts to cross the border between Belarus and Poland&nbsp;so far this year.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wagner-fighters-reached-belarus-confirm-ukraine-poland-616171">Wagner fighters have reached Belarus, confirm Ukraine, Poland</a>

The statement by the Polish PM also comes after Warsaw’s interior minister, on Thursday, said Poland, Lithuania and Latvia could jointly decide to shut their borders with Belarus if there are any incidents involving the Wagner group near their borders.&nbsp;

<h2>Poland ramps up border security</h2>

Earlier this <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukrainian-official-seemingly-claims-responsibility-for-crimea-bridge-blast-613657">month</a>, Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said, “Over 1,000 soldiers and almost 200 units of equipment from the 12th and 17th Mechanized Brigades are starting to move to the east of the country.” This was&nbsp;amid concerns over the presence of Wagner&nbsp;fighters in neighbouring Belarus.

He added, “This is a demonstration of our readiness to respond to attempts at destabilisation near the border of our country.”&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, on Saturday (July 29) said that a group of a hundred soldiers from Russia’s Wagner mercenary group have moved closer to the Belarusian city of Grodno near the Polish border.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, on Saturday (July 29) said that a group of a hundred soldiers from Russia’s Wagner mercenary group have moved closer to the Belarusian city of Grodno near the Polish border. This comes weeks after Poland’s defence minister said that they are moving more than 1,000 troops to the east of the country amid concerns over the presence of Wagner fighters in the neighbouring country. Polish PM’s warning Morawiecki warned that the Wagner fighters – who are living in exile in Belarus after their chief Yevgeny Prigozhin aborted a mutiny in Russia – may engage in what Poland describes as “hybrid warfare,” where the Russian group's fighters in Belarus could facilitate illegal migration from Belarus, said the Polish PM. The fighters could pose as migrants from the city of Grodno, close to the Polish and Lithuanian borders, and enter the European Union, said Morawiecki. Poland, a former Warsaw Pact member and now a member of the United States-led NATO military alliance, has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022. However, Warsaw has also expressed concerns about the possible spillover of the Ukraine war onto its territory. ALSO READ | Will Ukraine war expand to other regions? Poland moving troops over Wagner risk from Belarus “The situation is getting increasingly dangerous...Most likely they (the Wagner personnel) will be disguised as the Belarusian border guard and help illegal migrants get to the Polish territory (and) destabilise Poland,” said Morawiecki during a press conference in western Poland. “This is certainly a step towards a further hybrid attack on Polish territory,” he added. Notably, the Polish PM did not give a source of information that Wagner fighters were moving closer to Grodno. However, given the location of the city, it may be potentially significant as it is near the Suwalki Gap, a strategic strip of 95 kilometres of land along the Polish-Lithuanian border, which divides Belarus, Russia’s ally, from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. According to Morawiecki, there have been 16,000 attempts to cross the border between Belarus and Poland so far this year. ALSO READ | Wagner fighters have reached Belarus, confirm Ukraine, Poland The statement by the Polish PM also comes after Warsaw’s interior minister, on Thursday, said Poland, Lithuania and Latvia could jointly decide to shut their borders with Belarus if there are any incidents involving the Wagner group near their borders. Poland ramps up border security Earlier this month, Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said, “Over 1,000 soldiers and almost 200 units of equipment from the 12th and 17th Mechanized Brigades are starting to move to the east of the country.” This was amid concerns over the presence of Wagner fighters in neighbouring Belarus. He added, “This is a demonstration of our readiness to respond to attempts at destabilisation near the border of our country.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Wagner fighters move closer to Poland border, could pose as migrants to enter EU, warns Polish PM

All eyes are on Lithuania for the NATO summit because it's just 150 kilometres from Russia, the city has already been emboldened as well and several leaders among the 31 member nations are en route to the city including US President Joe Biden.

US President Joe Biden in London, to meet PM Rishi Sunak and King Charles

The timer is taking its last ticks and toks and NATO doesn't have a snooze button at least on some issues. Heads of state of all 31 NATO member countries will be in the Lithuanian capital on Tuesday. It is a two-day Summit and there is some hard talk expected.

Countdown to NATO Summit in Vilnius

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed Ukraine's NATO membership bid and said that the country 'deserves' to be a part of the Western bloc, media reports said.&nbsp;This comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is on a visit to Turkey, has been urging its allies to support Kyiv in its aspirations to join NATO at a time when Russia's war has been waging on for over a year with no end in sight.

The timing of Zelensky's visit is crucial as it comes ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania next week. The White House has already said that there will be discussions on necessary steps for Ukraine's qualification to join the transatlantic alliance.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Without a doubt, Ukraine deserves to be in NATO,” Erdogan said during a joint press conference in Istanbul alongside the Ukrainian president.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ditch-baggage-rent-clothes-what-is-the-new-trend-sparked-by-japan-airlines-613225">Ditch baggage, rent clothes: What is the new trend sparked by Japan Airlines?</a>

Apart from this, the Turkish president also voiced hope for the extension of the Black Sea grain deal, a crucial agreement for global food security.&nbsp;

In May, the grain deal brokered by Turkey and the United Nations was prolonged for an additional two months. However, it is now set to expire in 10 days.

President Erdogan further pledged his support for the reconstruction efforts in Ukraine and stressed Turkey's commitment to engage in negotiations aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict.&nbsp;

<h2>Black Sea&nbsp;</h2>

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed the importance of transforming the Black Sea into a region characterised by safety and cooperation, rather than being plagued by “so-called frozen conflicts”.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wagner-boss-prigozhin-never-went-to-belarus-used-body-double-to-appear-as-if-he-fled-us-official-613222">Wagner boss Prigozhin never went to Belarus, used body double to appear as if he fled Russia: US official</a>

“Today we focused our conversation on how your [Turkish] leadership can renew peace and normal world order when the interests of all nations are balanced,” Zelensky said adding, “Black Sea should be an area of safety, cooperation and not an area of war or any crises or so-called frozen conflicts that can ignite at any minute and strike and effect people’s lives."&nbsp;

<h2>The Crimean question&nbsp;</h2>

Zelensky thanked Turkey for its support in upholding Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.&nbsp;

During his discussions, he also mentioned the situation in Crimea, which, he said, Russia continues to "unlawfully" control.&nbsp;

The Ukrainian president said that Moscow is using Crimea as a "bridgehead of threats and danger". He affirmed Ukraine's determination to regain control over Crimea.&nbsp;

Watch | The unstoppable Chhetri

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Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian forces blockaded key Ukrainian Black Sea ports, disrupting vital grain exports.&nbsp;

This blockade prevented millions of tonnes of Ukrainian grain from being exported to countries that heavily rely on it.&nbsp;

In July 2022, an agreement was reached to establish procedures ensuring the safe export of grain from Ukrainian ports, leading to the resumption of exports. The deal has been extended since then.&nbsp;

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed Ukraine's NATO membership bid and said that the country 'deserves' to be a part of the Western bloc, media reports said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed Ukraine's NATO membership bid and said that the country 'deserves' to be a part of the Western bloc, media reports said. This comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is on a visit to Turkey, has been urging its allies to support Kyiv in its aspirations to join NATO at a time when Russia's war has been waging on for over a year with no end in sight. The timing of Zelensky's visit is crucial as it comes ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania next week. The White House has already said that there will be discussions on necessary steps for Ukraine's qualification to join the transatlantic alliance. “Without a doubt, Ukraine deserves to be in NATO,” Erdogan said during a joint press conference in Istanbul alongside the Ukrainian president. Also Read | Ditch baggage, rent clothes: What is the new trend sparked by Japan Airlines? Apart from this, the Turkish president also voiced hope for the extension of the Black Sea grain deal, a crucial agreement for global food security. In May, the grain deal brokered by Turkey and the United Nations was prolonged for an additional two months. However, it is now set to expire in 10 days. President Erdogan further pledged his support for the reconstruction efforts in Ukraine and stressed Turkey's commitment to engage in negotiations aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict. Black Sea Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed the importance of transforming the Black Sea into a region characterised by safety and cooperation, rather than being plagued by “so-called frozen conflicts”. Also Read | Wagner boss Prigozhin never went to Belarus, used body double to appear as if he fled Russia: US official “Today we focused our conversation on how your [Turkish] leadership can renew peace and normal world order when the interests of all nations are balanced,” Zelensky said adding, “Black Sea should be an area of safety, cooperation and not an area of war or any crises or so-called frozen conflicts that can ignite at any minute and strike and effect people’s lives." The Crimean question Zelensky thanked Turkey for its support in upholding Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. During his discussions, he also mentioned the situation in Crimea, which, he said, Russia continues to "unlawfully" control. The Ukrainian president said that Moscow is using Crimea as a "bridgehead of threats and danger". He affirmed Ukraine's determination to regain control over Crimea. Watch | The unstoppable Chhetri × Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian forces blockaded key Ukrainian Black Sea ports, disrupting vital grain exports. This blockade prevented millions of tonnes of Ukrainian grain from being exported to countries that heavily rely on it. In July 2022, an agreement was reached to establish procedures ensuring the safe export of grain from Ukrainian ports, leading to the resumption of exports. The deal has been extended since then. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Erdogan supports Ukraine's NATO membership as Zelensky seeks backing ahead of Lithuania summit

Here we bring you a quick round-up of all latest news, top headlines and international breakings from all across the globe, stay tuned with Gravitas for more!

Gravitas Global Headlines: Germany to station troops in Lithuania

Germany will be permanently stationing 4,000 of its troops in NATO ally Lithuania to help secure the country’s eastern flank, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said, while referring to the Russia-Ukraine war.

"Germany is ready to permanently station a robust brigade in Lithuania," Pistorius said during a visit to the Lithuanian capita, Vilnius, on Monday.

He said that facilities would first&nbsp;need to be built to accommodate the troops, state-run Deutsche Welle (DW) reported.

Berlin already leads NATO's battlegroup in&nbsp;Lithuania, a reinforced battalion of some 1,000 troops.

"We agree that the brigade will grow step-by-step as the infrastructure is established," Pistorius said, adding that such a deployment could not be completed within "a few months".

<h2>Long-pending demand</h2>

For long, Lithuania had sought the permanent presence of German troops in the country, which borders the Russian region of Kaliningrad.

But Germany resisted permanently stationing its brigade in Lithuania, arguing that the troops could be rapidly deployed from bases in Germany.&nbsp;

"We agree that the brigade will grow step-by-step as the infrastructure is established," Pistorius said, adding that such a deployment could not be completed within "a few months".

Pistorius stressed that the deployment should be compatible with NATO's (&nbsp;North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) regional plans detailing how it would respond to a Russian attack.

<h2>Better Infrastructure</h2>

In response, Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda said he was the required infrastructure is expected to be in place by 2026.

"We are simplifying the procedures...in order to be able to finalize the building of infrastructure by 2026," he said. "But I will not be angry if the minister of defence will finalise in 2025."

In June 2022, Berlin pledged to have a full brigade ready to defend Vilnius in case of an attack.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-knew-about-wagner-rebellion-but-kept-it-secret-from-most-allies-reports-609144">US knew about Wagner's rebellion plans but kept it secret from most allies</a>

Currently, only the brigade's command post with about 20 German soldiers are in Rukla, Lithuania. The rest remain at various locations within Germany.

<h2>NATO chief welcomes move</h2>

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg though welcomed Germany's announcement, he rejected calls for an immediate bolstering of troops along the alliance's eastern flank in response to the mutiny in Russia.

"It's not all about presence, it's all about the ability to have early warnings and indications, and then react quickly if there is a need - and this exercise demonstrates exactly that," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ex-us-president-donald-trump-flaunts-about-keeping-classified-documents-in-new-audio-clip-609063">Donald Trump flaunts about keeping classified documents in new audio clip</a>

NATO leaders will meet for a summit in Vilnius on July 11-12.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Germany will be permanently stationing 4,000 of its troops in NATO ally Lithuania to help secure the country’s eastern flank, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said, while referring to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Germany will be permanently stationing 4,000 of its troops in NATO ally Lithuania to help secure the country’s eastern flank, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said, while referring to the Russia-Ukraine war. "Germany is ready to permanently station a robust brigade in Lithuania," Pistorius said during a visit to the Lithuanian capita, Vilnius, on Monday. He said that facilities would first need to be built to accommodate the troops, state-run Deutsche Welle (DW) reported. Berlin already leads NATO's battlegroup in Lithuania, a reinforced battalion of some 1,000 troops. "We agree that the brigade will grow step-by-step as the infrastructure is established," Pistorius said, adding that such a deployment could not be completed within "a few months". Long-pending demand For long, Lithuania had sought the permanent presence of German troops in the country, which borders the Russian region of Kaliningrad. But Germany resisted permanently stationing its brigade in Lithuania, arguing that the troops could be rapidly deployed from bases in Germany. "We agree that the brigade will grow step-by-step as the infrastructure is established," Pistorius said, adding that such a deployment could not be completed within "a few months". Pistorius stressed that the deployment should be compatible with NATO's ( North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) regional plans detailing how it would respond to a Russian attack. Better Infrastructure In response, Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda said he was the required infrastructure is expected to be in place by 2026. "We are simplifying the procedures...in order to be able to finalize the building of infrastructure by 2026," he said. "But I will not be angry if the minister of defence will finalise in 2025." In June 2022, Berlin pledged to have a full brigade ready to defend Vilnius in case of an attack. Also read | US knew about Wagner's rebellion plans but kept it secret from most allies Currently, only the brigade's command post with about 20 German soldiers are in Rukla, Lithuania. The rest remain at various locations within Germany. NATO chief welcomes move NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg though welcomed Germany's announcement, he rejected calls for an immediate bolstering of troops along the alliance's eastern flank in response to the mutiny in Russia. "It's not all about presence, it's all about the ability to have early warnings and indications, and then react quickly if there is a need - and this exercise demonstrates exactly that," he said. Also read | Donald Trump flaunts about keeping classified documents in new audio clip NATO leaders will meet for a summit in Vilnius on July 11-12. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

With eyes on Russia, Germany to permanently station 4,000 troops in Lithuania

Germany on Monday said it was prepared to station 4,000 troops in Lithuania after the Baltic nation called on NATO to strengthen its eastern flank. "Germany is ready to permanently station a robust brigade in Lithuania," Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on a visit to Vilnius, conditioned on the "necessary infrastructure" and "compatibility with NATO plans".

Germany set to station 4,000 troops permanently in Lithuania

The Riigikogu or Estonian parliament, on Tuesday (June 20) approved a new law to legalise same-sex marriage, becoming the first Baltic nation to do so. This comes months after the incumbent Prime Minister Kaja Kallas’ liberal coalition government took office and nine years after the country recognised same-sex civil unions.&nbsp; 
 
The vote also makes&nbsp;Estonia the second central European country to pass laws legalising same-sex marriage, after Slovenia which passed&nbsp;an amendment allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt&nbsp;last year.&nbsp;

<h2>What happened during the vote?</h2>

The vote on a marriage equality bill took place in Estonia’s parliament and passed with a majority of 55 votes in the 101-seat parliament with 34 votes against it. This came months after PM Kallas’ coalition of liberal and social democratic parties garnered a majority in the parliament back in March.&nbsp; 
 
Additionally, the incumbent&nbsp;government also survived a vote of no confidence that was tied to the amendments. While&nbsp;Estonia introduced same-sex civil unions back in 2014, it did not recognise&nbsp;adoption rights or&nbsp;parental recognition which comes with&nbsp;marriage. 
 
According to reports, there will be some 85&nbsp;amendments to the country's Family Law Act, while&nbsp;another legislation was&nbsp;introduced which would include&nbsp;same-sex marriage contracts. Additionally,&nbsp;words in the Family Law Act&nbsp;will also&nbsp;now be modified from&nbsp;"man and woman" to "two natural persons."&nbsp;

The law will come into effect&nbsp;in 2024. Notably, while same-sex marriage is legal in most countries across Western Europe that is not the case with former Soviet nations in central Europe. “My message (to central Europe) is that it’s a difficult fight, but marriage and love is something that you have to promote,” PM Kallas told Reuters, after the vote.&nbsp;

She added, “We have developed a lot in those 30 years since we have freed ourselves from the (Soviet) occupation. We are equals among same-value countries.” Meanwhile, two other Baltic nations, Latvia and Lithuania, have introduced bills to legalise same-sex marriage in their parliaments but are yet to move forward with any decision. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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It's official: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Estonia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Estonia</a> has legalised marriage equality. We join other Nordic nations with this historic decision. 
 
I'm proud of my country. We're building a society where everyone’s rights are respected and people can love freely. 
 
The decision will enter into force from 2024. <a href="https://t.co/tQJdO70eEo">pic.twitter.com/tQJdO70eEo</a>
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) <a href="https://twitter.com/kajakallas/status/1671075778593792002?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The Estonian PM, who was also the first female leader of the country, took to Twitter and said, “It’s official: Estonia has legalised marriage equality. We join other Nordic nations with this historic decision. I’m proud of my country. We’re building a society where everyone’s rights are respected and people can love freely.”

<h2>LGBTQ+ people in Estonia</h2>

According to the Estonian Human Rights Centre, attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people have changed dramatically since 2012. In the Baltic nation with 1.3 million people, at least 53 per cent of people supported same-sex marriage in a poll conducted by the rights centre&nbsp;earlier this year. Notably, the number was up from 34 per cent back in 2021 and also six per cent higher than last year.&nbsp;

However, nearly 40 per cent of Estonians still consider homosexuality unacceptable. The poll also showed that same-sex marriage was opposed by the country’s ethnic-Russian minority which makes up a quarter of the country’s population with less than half (40 per cent) supporting it.

<h2>&nbsp;&nbsp; 
The Ukraine war factor?</h2>

In an interview with the country’s broadcaster LRT, the president of Estonia’s parliament, Lauri Hussar suggested that the change in attitude towards the LGBTQ+ people can also be attributed to the war in Ukraine.&nbsp;

“I think the mood has changed also, because of what happened in Ukraine, because the war brought us to the real problems and what is really important for us,” said Hussar, as quoted by Euronews.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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The Riigikogu or Estonian parliament, on Tuesday (June 20) approved a new law to legalise same-sex marriage, becoming the first Baltic nation to do so. This comes months after the incumbent Prime Minister Kaja Kallas’ liberal coalition government took office and nine years after the country recognised same-sex civil unions.

The Riigikogu or Estonian parliament, on Tuesday (June 20) approved a new law to legalise same-sex marriage, becoming the first Baltic nation to do so. This comes months after the incumbent Prime Minister Kaja Kallas’ liberal coalition government took office and nine years after the country recognised same-sex civil unions. The vote also makes Estonia the second central European country to pass laws legalising same-sex marriage, after Slovenia which passed an amendment allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt last year. What happened during the vote? The vote on a marriage equality bill took place in Estonia’s parliament and passed with a majority of 55 votes in the 101-seat parliament with 34 votes against it. This came months after PM Kallas’ coalition of liberal and social democratic parties garnered a majority in the parliament back in March. Additionally, the incumbent government also survived a vote of no confidence that was tied to the amendments. While Estonia introduced same-sex civil unions back in 2014, it did not recognise adoption rights or parental recognition which comes with marriage. According to reports, there will be some 85 amendments to the country's Family Law Act, while another legislation was introduced which would include same-sex marriage contracts. Additionally, words in the Family Law Act will also now be modified from "man and woman" to "two natural persons." The law will come into effect in 2024. Notably, while same-sex marriage is legal in most countries across Western Europe that is not the case with former Soviet nations in central Europe. “My message (to central Europe) is that it’s a difficult fight, but marriage and love is something that you have to promote,” PM Kallas told Reuters, after the vote. She added, “We have developed a lot in those 30 years since we have freed ourselves from the (Soviet) occupation. We are equals among same-value countries.” Meanwhile, two other Baltic nations, Latvia and Lithuania, have introduced bills to legalise same-sex marriage in their parliaments but are yet to move forward with any decision. It's official: #Estonia has legalised marriage equality. We join other Nordic nations with this historic decision. I'm proud of my country. We're building a society where everyone’s rights are respected and people can love freely. The decision will enter into force from 2024. pic.twitter.com/tQJdO70eEo — Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) June 20, 2023 × The Estonian PM, who was also the first female leader of the country, took to Twitter and said, “It’s official: Estonia has legalised marriage equality. We join other Nordic nations with this historic decision. I’m proud of my country. We’re building a society where everyone’s rights are respected and people can love freely.” LGBTQ+ people in Estonia According to the Estonian Human Rights Centre, attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people have changed dramatically since 2012. In the Baltic nation with 1.3 million people, at least 53 per cent of people supported same-sex marriage in a poll conducted by the rights centre earlier this year. Notably, the number was up from 34 per cent back in 2021 and also six per cent higher than last year. However, nearly 40 per cent of Estonians still consider homosexuality unacceptable. The poll also showed that same-sex marriage was opposed by the country’s ethnic-Russian minority which makes up a quarter of the country’s population with less than half (40 per cent) supporting it. The Ukraine war factor? In an interview with the country’s broadcaster LRT, the president of Estonia’s parliament, Lauri Hussar suggested that the change in attitude towards the LGBTQ+ people can also be attributed to the war in Ukraine. “I think the mood has changed also, because of what happened in Ukraine, because the war brought us to the real problems and what is really important for us,” said Hussar, as quoted by Euronews. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Estonia becomes first Baltic nation to legalise same-sex marriage

Lithuania's Ambassador, Diana Mickeviciene has termed China's ambassador to France's comments on the sovereignty of Baltic states as "unacceptable." Chinese ambassador Lu Shaye's statement that ex-Soviet states lack the basis of sovereignty has sparked outrage in Europe, with Lithuania and other Baltic states summoning top Chinese diplomats. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Ambassador Mickeviciene said, "We really reacted with lots of concerns, you may have seen my foreign minister as well as many foreign ministers from Europe, rejecting that statement of ambassador of China in France". She also spoke about ties with India, especially in the backdrop of India opening up its first ever mission in the country.

Lithuania's Ambassador Diana Mickeviciene speaks to WION on ties with India, China

Remarks made by Chinese envoy on the status of ex-Soviet states drew severe flak from several countries across Europe. In an exclusive interview, the Lithuanian Ambassador to India Diana Mickeviciene, raised serious concerns over China's remarks. Watch the video to know more.

Lithuania Ambassador to India Diana Mickeviciene speaks to WION about Chinese envoy's remarks

In an exclusive interview with WION's Sidhant Sibal, the Lithuanian Ambassador to India Diana Mickeviciene has termed China's ambassador to France's comments on the sovereignty of Baltic states as "unacceptable." She also added that China should not repeat the narrative of an aggressive nation.

'China should not repeat the narrative of an aggressive nation', says Lithuania Ambassador to India

Lithuania Ambassador to India Speaks Out: China Should Avoid Aggressive Narrative

Diana Mickevičienė, the&nbsp;Lithuanian ambassador to India, called recent remarks by the Chinese ambassador to France on former&nbsp;Soviet nations as "unacceptable".&nbsp;Chinese ambassador Lu Shaye had caused waves of criticism after he questioned ex-Soviet nations over their sovereignty.

Amid the outrage, China caved in as its foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that Beijing "respects the sovereign state status of the participating republics after the dissolution of the Soviet Union".&nbsp;

WION's Sidhant Sibal spoke to Mickevičienė, who was also Lithuania's last Ambassador to China, about the Chinese envoy's controversial remarks.&nbsp;

Asked about Lu's comments, Mickevičienė said: "We really reacted with lots of concerns. You may have seen my foreign minister as well as many foreign ministers from Europe rejecting that statement of the ambassador of China in France." 
She said the Chinese narrative is "totally hostile against international law and the UN charter."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-respects-ex-soviet-states-ex-soviet-states-as-sovereign-nations-amid-outrage-585634">China caves in after outrage, says it respects ex-Soviet states as sovereign nations</a>&nbsp;

She further added that "as we speak, Chinese envoys of number countries are summoned to give wider explanation."&nbsp;

She argued that such a statement "not only derail the international law in large but repeat a narrative of the aggressive country and it's very unfortunate".&nbsp;

"This is unacceptable, China should explain it," she noted.&nbsp;

On being asked about all the questions related to the Chinese role as a neutral arbitrator, she said, "I have already referred to the chronology in 2022 when Beijing hosted the Olympics and post that Russia started the war [in Ukraine], we also have a look into the wider security initiative that China has presented to us."&nbsp;

"This global security initiative is not good for a small state like us because it basically talked about zones of influence and this is the problem...we feel our sovereignty has been really compromised by the statement," she mentioned.&nbsp;

Watch the interview here:&nbsp;

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<h2>What did Lu Shaye say?&nbsp;</h2>

During an interview aired on French television on Friday, Lu said that the countries that emerged after the fall of the Soviet Union "don't have effective status under international law because there is not an international agreement confirming their status as sovereign nations". The comments led to outrage across Europe as France and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have also condemned the official.&nbsp;

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Diana Mickevičienė, the Lithuanian ambassador to India, called recent remarks by the Chinese ambassador to France on former Soviet nations as "unacceptable". Chinese ambassador Lu Shaye had caused waves of criticism after he questioned ex-Soviet nations over their sovereignty.

Diana Mickevičienė, the Lithuanian ambassador to India, called recent remarks by the Chinese ambassador to France on former Soviet nations as "unacceptable". Chinese ambassador Lu Shaye had caused waves of criticism after he questioned ex-Soviet nations over their sovereignty. Amid the outrage, China caved in as its foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that Beijing "respects the sovereign state status of the participating republics after the dissolution of the Soviet Union". WION's Sidhant Sibal spoke to Mickevičienė, who was also Lithuania's last Ambassador to China, about the Chinese envoy's controversial remarks. Asked about Lu's comments, Mickevičienė said: "We really reacted with lots of concerns. You may have seen my foreign minister as well as many foreign ministers from Europe rejecting that statement of the ambassador of China in France." She said the Chinese narrative is "totally hostile against international law and the UN charter." ALSO READ | China caves in after outrage, says it respects ex-Soviet states as sovereign nations She further added that "as we speak, Chinese envoys of number countries are summoned to give wider explanation." She argued that such a statement "not only derail the international law in large but repeat a narrative of the aggressive country and it's very unfortunate". "This is unacceptable, China should explain it," she noted. On being asked about all the questions related to the Chinese role as a neutral arbitrator, she said, "I have already referred to the chronology in 2022 when Beijing hosted the Olympics and post that Russia started the war [in Ukraine], we also have a look into the wider security initiative that China has presented to us." "This global security initiative is not good for a small state like us because it basically talked about zones of influence and this is the problem...we feel our sovereignty has been really compromised by the statement," she mentioned. Watch the interview here: × What did Lu Shaye say? During an interview aired on French television on Friday, Lu said that the countries that emerged after the fall of the Soviet Union "don't have effective status under international law because there is not an international agreement confirming their status as sovereign nations". The comments led to outrage across Europe as France and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have also condemned the official. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Lithuania's envoy calls Chinese ambassador's comment on ex-Soviet states 'unacceptable'

China’s ambassador to France has sparked anger and dismay among eastern European countries after questioning the sovereignty of former Soviet countries including Ukraine. The Chinese ambassador Lu Shaye, in an interview on Friday (April 22) seemingly suggested that countries that emerged after the fall of the Soviet Union are not really sovereign.&nbsp;

What did the Chinese envoy say?

Speaking with France’s LCI news channel, Shaye said, “These ex-USSR countries don’t have actual status in international law because there is no international agreement to materialize their sovereign status.”&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-raises-concerns-over-taiwan-amid-talks-with-china-585129">Philippines raises concerns over 'escalating tensions' Taiwan Strait amid talks with China</a>

The remarks were made after he was asked whether he believes Crimea is part of Ukraine or not. Crimea was annexed by Russia back in 2014. The Chinese ambassador, in this context, also said, “it depends on how you look at the problem. There's history. Crimea was Russian at the start.”

These comments have not only cast doubt not just on Ukraine which is in the midst of an invasion by Russia but on most eastern European countries which emerged as independent nations after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, many of which are also members of the European Union.

How have the countries reacted?

After the interview, France and eastern European countries released statements in response to the Chinese envoy’s comments. Paris, late Saturday, stated its “full solidarity” with all the allied countries affected, which it said had acquired their independence “after decades of oppression”.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazils-lula-doesnt-want-to-please-anyone-over-ukraine-stance-faces-protests-amid-visit-in-lisbon-585175">Brazil’s Lula doesn’t want to ‘please anyone’ over Ukraine stance, faces protests amid visit in Lisbon</a>

The French foreign ministry also said that it had “learned with consternation about the statements from the ambassador.” It added, “It remains up to China to say whether these statements reflect its position which we hope not to be the case.”

Following the interview,&nbsp;Ukraine condemned what it called “absurd” comments from the Chinese ambassador. On Sunday, the&nbsp;Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak said the status of post-Soviet countries was “enshrined in international law”.&nbsp;

He added, "It is strange to hear an absurd version of the ‘history of Crimea’ from a representative of a country&nbsp;that is scrupulous about its 1,000-year history.”&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/finland-fencing-along-russian-border-amid-security-concerns-after-joining-nato-585059">Finland fencing along Russian border amid security concerns after joining NATO</a> 
 
Meanwhile, Latvia’s foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics took to Twitter and wrote, “Remarks by the Chinese Ambassador in France concerning international law and sovereignty of nations are completely unacceptable. We expect (an) explanation from the Chinese side and complete retraction of this statement.”

Additionally, his Lithuanian counterpart, Gabrielius Landsbergis said, “If anyone is still wondering why the Baltic States don't trust China to 'broker peace in Ukraine', here's a Chinese ambassador arguing that Crimea is Russian and our countries' borders have no legal basis,” reported AFP.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Estonian foreign minister,&nbsp;Margus Tsahkna, also called Shaye's comments&nbsp;“false and a misinterpretation of history.” The three&nbsp;Baltic countries have reportedly said that they would&nbsp;each summon China’s ambassador or representative for an explanation of the envoy’s comments.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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China’s ambassador to France has sparked anger and dismay among eastern European countries after questioning the sovereignty of former Soviet countries including Ukraine.

China’s ambassador to France has sparked anger and dismay among eastern European countries after questioning the sovereignty of former Soviet countries including Ukraine. The Chinese ambassador Lu Shaye, in an interview on Friday (April 22) seemingly suggested that countries that emerged after the fall of the Soviet Union are not really sovereign. What did the Chinese envoy say? Speaking with France’s LCI news channel, Shaye said, “These ex-USSR countries don’t have actual status in international law because there is no international agreement to materialize their sovereign status.” ALSO READ | Philippines raises concerns over 'escalating tensions' Taiwan Strait amid talks with China The remarks were made after he was asked whether he believes Crimea is part of Ukraine or not. Crimea was annexed by Russia back in 2014. The Chinese ambassador, in this context, also said, “it depends on how you look at the problem. There's history. Crimea was Russian at the start.” These comments have not only cast doubt not just on Ukraine which is in the midst of an invasion by Russia but on most eastern European countries which emerged as independent nations after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, many of which are also members of the European Union. How have the countries reacted? After the interview, France and eastern European countries released statements in response to the Chinese envoy’s comments. Paris, late Saturday, stated its “full solidarity” with all the allied countries affected, which it said had acquired their independence “after decades of oppression”. ALSO READ | Brazil’s Lula doesn’t want to ‘please anyone’ over Ukraine stance, faces protests amid visit in Lisbon The French foreign ministry also said that it had “learned with consternation about the statements from the ambassador.” It added, “It remains up to China to say whether these statements reflect its position which we hope not to be the case.” Following the interview, Ukraine condemned what it called “absurd” comments from the Chinese ambassador. On Sunday, the Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak said the status of post-Soviet countries was “enshrined in international law”. He added, "It is strange to hear an absurd version of the ‘history of Crimea’ from a representative of a country that is scrupulous about its 1,000-year history.” ALSO READ | Finland fencing along Russian border amid security concerns after joining NATO Meanwhile, Latvia’s foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics took to Twitter and wrote, “Remarks by the Chinese Ambassador in France concerning international law and sovereignty of nations are completely unacceptable. We expect (an) explanation from the Chinese side and complete retraction of this statement.” Additionally, his Lithuanian counterpart, Gabrielius Landsbergis said, “If anyone is still wondering why the Baltic States don't trust China to 'broker peace in Ukraine', here's a Chinese ambassador arguing that Crimea is Russian and our countries' borders have no legal basis,” reported AFP. The Estonian foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, also called Shaye's comments “false and a misinterpretation of history.” The three Baltic countries have reportedly said that they would each summon China’s ambassador or representative for an explanation of the envoy’s comments. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Chinese ambassador questions sovereignty of former Soviet countries; France, Ukraine, Baltic nations dismayed

Lithuania took a drastic step on Tuesday (April 4) as its parliament banned Russian nationals from purchasing real esatete in the country. The parliament said that risks to national security were behind the decision. The ban will be in place till 2024. However, the ban will not apply to Russians who are granted residency in Lithuania.

In addition to the ban, Lithuanian parliament also stopped issuance of new visas to Russian and Belarusian nationals. Belarus is a strong ally of Russia.&nbsp;

Many of the citizens of those two countries who carry other travel documents, such as previously issued visas, will be subject to "individual extended checks" at the border to determine if they pose a threat to national security.

"The vast majority of Russian citizens support their country's aggressive military actions, and do not take actions to stop the aggression of their country's regime, so they share the responsibility," Deputy Foreign Minister Jurgita Neliupsiene told parliament in March as she introduced the bill.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. After sustained gains in the battlefield for first few months, the Russian forces had to retreat in the face of Ukrainian counterattacks. After Russia invaded Ukraine, countries that share borders with Russia have been on alert.

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Lithuania took a drastic step on Tuesday (April 4) as its parliament banned Russian nationals from purchasing real esatete in the country. The parliament said that risks to national security were behind the decision.

Lithuania took a drastic step on Tuesday (April 4) as its parliament banned Russian nationals from purchasing real esatete in the country. The parliament said that risks to national security were behind the decision. The ban will be in place till 2024. However, the ban will not apply to Russians who are granted residency in Lithuania. In addition to the ban, Lithuanian parliament also stopped issuance of new visas to Russian and Belarusian nationals. Belarus is a strong ally of Russia. Many of the citizens of those two countries who carry other travel documents, such as previously issued visas, will be subject to "individual extended checks" at the border to determine if they pose a threat to national security. "The vast majority of Russian citizens support their country's aggressive military actions, and do not take actions to stop the aggression of their country's regime, so they share the responsibility," Deputy Foreign Minister Jurgita Neliupsiene told parliament in March as she introduced the bill. Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. After sustained gains in the battlefield for first few months, the Russian forces had to retreat in the face of Ukrainian counterattacks. After Russia invaded Ukraine, countries that share borders with Russia have been on alert. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Lithuania bans Russian nationals from purchasing property in country

The Lithuanian embassy in India has undertaken a unique project to highlight the linguistic similarities between Sanskrit and Lithuanian, two of the oldest languages in the world.

The Lithuanian embassy in India has undertaken a unique project to highlight the linguistic similarities between Sanskrit and Lithuanian, two of the oldest languages in the world. The project involves a street art mural on the outer wall of the Harcourt Butler School in Delhi's Mandir Marg area, showcasing common words in both languages. The colourful mural depicts traditional Lithuanian style and patterns, and it is set to become a popular attraction for passersby. Diana Mickeviciene, ambassador of Lithuania, highlighted the link between Sanskrit and Lithuanian and how this bonds the two countries together. "Lithuanian language is officially recognised as the closest living sister language of Sanskrit and we are very keen to research this particular connection. We have been keen to bring this message of friendship and historical connection. We are looking forward to more present and modern connection," Mickeviciene told WION. Elaborating in Hindi she pointed out, "hamarey desh ki dosti ka nishan bharat key liye (This is a symbol of friendship between India and Lithuania)." WATCH | India: Sanskrit and Lithuanian words adorn the school wall in Delhi × Linas Kaziulionis, a Lithuanian artist, painted the mural on the outer wall of the school. He symbolically painted the final keywords of the mural, "Deva" and "Agni," which have a profound meaning for both nations and represent the linguistic and cultural connection between the people of Lithuania and India. "Really amazing, India is a very good country and planning to come here again. I am very glad to be here and show language similarities," said Kaziulionis. The project involved painting the most common day-to-day Sanskrit-Lithuanian words like Sapna, Madhu, Agni, and Deva in both Devanagari and Lithuanian scripts. The project has not only highlighted the connection between ancient languages but also brought together people from different cultures and backgrounds in a celebration of art and language. The Lithuanian Embassy in association with Vilnius University and the Lithuanian language institute has also published a unique dictionary that showcases the auspicious 108 words in Lithuanian and Sanskrit, which sound and mean the same. ALSO READ | Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit to take place in July: Minister Meenakshi Lekhi The development comes at a time when the Indian embassy is expected to begin its operations in the country in April. The visas for the first Indian diplomats are being given by the Lithuanian embassy in Delhi. The Indian cabinet last year approved the opening of an Indian embassy in the European country. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Lithuanian embassy in India collaborates for Sanskrit-Lithuanian street art project

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