Lithuania issued an air alert on May 20, 2026, after a suspected drone approaching from Belarus was detected near the border. The alert prompted the Ministry of Defence to advise residents near the capital, Vilnius, to shelter in place. In response to the threat, NATO Baltic Air Policing was activated, leading to the temporary suspension of flights at Vilnius airport and the evacuation of train passengers to safety. Alarms were also triggered in the Lithuanian parliament. This incident comes on the heels of NATO's recent action to shoot down a stray Ukrainian drone over Estonia, reflecting heightened tensions in the Baltic region amid ongoing military activities. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin is in China discussing closer cooperation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which is raising concerns in Europe and the US regarding the implications of strengthened Russian-Chinese relations.