(MENAFN) The European Union on Monday highlighted the pressing necessity to hasten the deployment of a drone defense program after repeated intrusions of helium balloons into Lithuanian airspace.

These balloons were reportedly sent by smugglers transporting illegal cigarettes from Belarus.

In a post on the social media platform X, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen characterized the events as "destabilization" and a "hybrid threat," asserting that Europe would not tolerate such "provocations."

"This is yet another reason to accelerate our flagships -- the Eastern Flank Watch and the European Drone Defense Initiative," she emphasized, underlining the importance of advancing the EU’s security measures.

The EU's so-called "drone wall," part of its Eastern Flank Watch program aimed at reinforcing security along eastern borders, is a sophisticated system that combines radar, sensors, and counter-drone technology to detect and neutralize unauthorized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

In a separate statement, European Council President Antonio Costa also denounced Belarus's "persistent and provocative actions" against the EU and its member nations, urging Minsk to prevent future incidents.

"The EU will continue to put pressure on the regime for its complicity in Russia's war against Ukraine and will support the protection of the EU's eastern border," he declared.

Both leaders voiced their backing for Lithuania, emphasizing the EU's resolve to support the country amid ongoing provocations and security challenges.

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