The US Urges Citizens to Leave Belarus as Lithuania Closes Border Crossings

The US State Department on Monday urged its citizens in Belarus to leave the country as Lithuania closed two of its six border crossings.

US Embassy in Minsk’s Message

This is stated in a message posted on the website of the US Embassy in Minsk.

Lithuania’s Closure of Border Crossings

According to the Lithuanian border guards, as of August 18, Lithuania closed two of the six border crossings with Belarus.

Number of Residents Entering Belarus

According to the Border Commission of Belarus, since 2022, more than 685,000 residents of Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, most of whom are citizens of Lithuania, have used the right to enter the country without visas.

Belarusian Authorities’ Response

According to the press service of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, the country’s authorities will react to the closure of border crossings by Lithuania calmly, responsibly, and pragmatically, including in the interests of residents of neighboring countries.

Russian Foreign Ministry’s Statement

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova previously confirmed that the brutal treatment of migrants by Latvian border guards on the border with Belarus testifies to the racist nature of the Latvian authorities.

Source

Source: TASS