Instrumentalisation of migration by Belarus and Russia – a hybrid threat against the Baltic Sea Region

Interior and Administration and the Council of the Baltic Sea States co-organised an expert roundtable on 17 April in Warsaw. The meeting brought together representatives from ministries of the interior, justice, and foreign affairs, as well as border guard agencies and academia. Discussions focused on the strategic instrumentalisation of migration by Belarus and Russia - a hybrid threat aimed at destabilising the Baltic Sea Region through the organised and coordinated movement of vulnerable people towards the EU's external borders.

The event addressed the intersection of national security threats, smuggling, and human trafficking. Expert contributions included situational updates from CBSS member states, a historical overview of the phenomenon, and a briefing on Lithuania's legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning the repeated illegal actions of Belarus.

"Evidence shows a concerning synergy between state actors in Belarus and Russia and transnational criminal networks in facilitating the instrumentalisation of migration, covering the entire chain from logistics to financing," said Edi Mujaj, Head of the Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings Unit, CBSS.

Among the interventions, participants underlined the importance of ensuring an adequate legal framework to counter this hybrid threat, including appropriate sanctions, and to enable targeted measures against criminal networks, individuals, and responsible state officials.