Lithuania declares state of emergency after Russia invades Ukraine

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Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda speaks with the media as he arrives for the EU-Africa summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Belgium February 17, 2022. Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Pool via REUTERS

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VILNIUS, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Lithuania's president declared a state of emergency on Thursday, telling the NATO country's army to deploy along its borders in response to "possible disturbances and provocations due to large military forces massed in Russia and Belarus".

The state of emergency, declared hours after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, will be valid for two weeks.

Parliament will meet later on Thursday to vote whether to confirm or cancel President Gitanas Nauseda decision.

Once ruled from Moscow but now part of NATO and the European Union, Lithuania borders Belarus and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

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Reporting by Andrius Sytas, writing by Gwladys Fouche, editing by Nerijus Adomaitis and Terje Solsvik

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