Poland, Lithuania, Latvia Agree to Boost Border Security, Counter Hybrid Threats

Poland, Lithuania and Latvia have agreed to strengthen cooperation to secure their external borders and counter hybrid threats, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Lithuanian government.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene and Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina adopted a joint declaration titled “Enhanced Cooperation on External Border Security and Countering Hybrid Threats.”

Ruginiene said countries in the region face “a common and continuously evolving challenge” in the form of hybrid threats. She noted that tactics tested by hostile regimes against one state are often quickly applied to others, stressing the need for cooperation to move to “a new level,” including enhanced information sharing, joint exercises and coordinated response mechanisms.

She emphasized that the borders in question are not only national frontiers but also the external borders of the European Union.