Belarus

Lithuania is conducting its largest-ever military exercises, 'Vyčio skliautas 2026', which run until October 3. Authorities are rehearsing the evacuation of Vilnius and border regions in the event of a military threat from neighbouring Belarus. The drills come amid ongoing regional fears that Russia's war in Ukraine could spill over into NATO's eastern flank.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Office met with human rights defenders to discuss the safety of Belarusians and the accountability of Alexander Lukashenko's regime for ongoing repression. The talks focused on documenting abuses and protecting those targeted inside Belarus and in exile. Rights groups have long pressed for international accountability mechanisms over political persecution in the country.

RFE/RL's Wider Europe Briefing asks whether the European Union will soon lift sanctions on Belarusian potash, one of the country's key exports that was targeted amid Minsk's crackdown on opposition and its role in the war in Ukraine. The question feeds a broader debate in Brussels over whether sanctions on Belarus should be eased or kept in place.

Travellers driving through eastern Latvia, after leaving Rāzna National Park and heading toward Velnezers, entered a designated Border Zone near Dagda where police stopped them and questioned them about their route and destination. The area lies close to the Belarusian border, where Latvia maintains stricter controls and heightened security measures.

Belarus is being pulled between deepening military integration with Russia and a parallel effort to keep bargaining channels open with the West. Minsk has expanded joint military cooperation with Moscow, while also seeking to avoid full isolation. Analysts see the balancing act as an attempt by Alexander Lukashenko's government to preserve room for manoeuvre between its key ally and Western governments.