Nauseda’s Adviser Calls Belarusian Potash Transit Through Lithuania “Moral Humiliation”

Reform.news Editorial Team · 23 September 2026, 13:31

https://reform.news/en/nauseda-s-adviser-calls-belarusian-potash-transit-through-lithuania-moral-humiliation/

Lithuanian President’s Adviser on National Security Deividas Matulionis believes that circumventing EU sanctions to allow the transit of Belarusian potash as part of a deal between the US and Belarus would be “moral humiliation.”

“Any violation of EU sanctions would have a moral aspect – as well as a legal and financial one. […] It would be a kind of moral humiliation,” Matulionis said on LRT RADIO.

Matulionis noted that the transportation of Belarusian potash would not necessarily go through the port of Klaipėda, as it did before sanctions were imposed.

“This is an issue between the US and Belarus. If there were transit, it would not necessarily have to be through Lithuanian territory, so why should we specifically be informed?” he said.

Matulionis acknowledged that the issue of fertilizer transit had been discussed both previously and during John Coale’s recent visit to Vilnius, but said the US had not put pressure on Lithuania.

“I want to assure you that it was not a form of pressure. It was a statement that it would be useful for America, and a question about how we would react,” the Lithuanian president’s adviser said.

“We would not want the Americans to transport potash through Russia, because that would provide additional revenue for Russia’s war machine. The Americans are talking not only with us, but also with other countries in the region, but so far we are all holding together, and I see no concessions either from us or from other neighbouring countries,” Matulionis said.

Matulionis also believes that if serious negotiations between the US and Belarus are indeed underway, their details may not have been made public. He also suggested that Russia may have warned Belarus against developing closer ties with Washington.

According to Matulionis, Lithuania would welcome US efforts to reduce Belarus’s dependence on Russia. At the same time, he noted that achieving this would be difficult.

“If the Americans succeeded in pulling Belarus away from Russia, that would, of course, be a fundamental change, and we wish them success. But we see that it is difficult,” the Lithuanian president’s adviser said.

Matulionis also denied speculation that the return of US troops to Lithuania was linked to a possible resumption of Belarusian potash transit.

Earlier, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said that the transit of Belarusian potash through Lithuania was impossible because of EU sanctions. At the same time, some Lithuanian politicians support resuming the transit of Belarusian fertilizers through Lithuania so that Russia would not earn money from the transit.