Belarus migration surge prompts Lithuania to threaten Latvia border controls after 4-fold rise
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A video showing migrants easily crossing the Latvia-Belarus border with ladders has fueled a diplomatic rift between Riga and Vilnius. Lithuania’s new interior minister warned he may restore internal border checks, citing a fourfold increase in secondary illegal migration from Latvia — to more than 1,200 this year. The dispute threatens Baltic unity as both presidents argue such a move would divert critical resources from the EU’s eastern flank.
The Ladder Video
A social media video showed migrants crossing the Latvia-Belarus border fence with ladders, encountering no visible resistance. The footage triggered immediate alarm in Riga, with opposition lawmaker Ramona Petraviča calling it a catastrophe for national security. The video surfaced as President Edgars Rinkēvičs was on a state visit to Vilnius.
Secondary Migration Surge
Lithuania’s newly appointed Interior Minister Martynas Katelinas warned he might restore border checks with Latvia. The move responds to a fourfold spike in migrants entering Lithuania from Latvia — from just over 300 in the first half of last year to more than 1,200 this year, according to LETA. Katelinas blamed Latvia’s inability to secure the external EU border.
Allied Unity Strained
President Rinkēvičs called internal border controls a real catastrophe that would siphon forces from the eastern frontier. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda agreed such a step would be a strategic concession to Belarus. The dispute unfolds against the backdrop of persistent Russian military threat to the Baltic region.
What's Next
Latvia and Lithuania are expected to hold emergency consultations on border security measures. Whether the internal Schengen borders will be reinforced remains unclear as both capitals seek to balance national security with EU solidarity.
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Belarus migration surge prompts Lithuania to threaten Latvia border controls after 4-fold rise
