There are no grounds to review sanctions on Belarusian potash until the end of February 2027. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said this in an interview with LRT. At the same time, he acknowledged that the issue of potash fertilizer transit is being discussed with the United States. According to him, this discussion will be taken into account when sanctions renewal is considered.
“I can confirm that we are in discussions with the United States on this issue. This matter is on the agenda and we are taking various considerations into account. However, I would like to note that until next year – until the end of February 2027 – sanctions related to potash fertilizers remain in force against Belarus, and there are no ways, means or grounds to review anything at the level of the European Union.
This is not only Lithuania’s position – it is Europe’s position. If such discussions take place, or when sanctions renewal is discussed, we will of course take into account all considerations put forward by our partners”, he said.
Budrys did not confirm receiving a letter from the U.S. side regarding transit, which had been reported by media last week.
“We communicate with the State Department and other U.S. institutions through various channels. I will not comment on this, but there is more than one way to exchange information, assessments and proposals. I would not single out any one particular channel”, he replied.
The minister also commented on a quotation from the letter referring to a “legal mechanism” that transit countries could use to create an exemption from sanctions. According to him, all possible options for circumventing sanctions have already been used by interested parties, including Russian and Belarusian companies.
“Throughout this entire period, starting in 2022, legal schemes and various other arrangements have been launched in pursuit of large sums of money. The answer is as simple as the European Commission’s explanation – sanctions apply to all fertilizers produced in Belarus, including those transported through the territory of the European Union. That is where the story ends”, he said.
Budrys also suggested not linking the deployment of U.S. troops in Lithuania to fertilizer transit.
“I truly do not see any direct connection here because the decision is made by the European Union. This is not a national decision. It is not even a decision of the regional states bordering Belarus: Latvia, Poland and Lithuania. Even if the three of us made such a decision, it would mean nothing. Any different decision requires unanimity among all 27 states.
If we are talking about sanctions renewal, a somewhat different mechanism applies. In my view, considering anything now without the necessary legal and political conditions is a waste of time. I do not see any direct link with defence needs, deterrence, its effectiveness and, ultimately, with the U.S. interest in maintaining troops in the region, both specifically on the front line and across the European continent as a whole”, he said.
At the same time, he said he regularly discusses the issue of the U.S. military presence in Lithuania. Budrys said he raised the topic during a NATO ministerial meeting with the alliance’s Secretary General and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“According to our assessment, in my opinion, and based on what I discussed last week in Sweden, in Helsingborg, with the NATO Secretary General, with the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and with Secretary Marco Rubio, the presence of troops is in the interests of the United States and also in our interests. These are very strong signals that we must send to Russia in the broader context of rising tensions. We must see the whole picture. I believe these decisions will be coordinated and will reflect political, military and strategic considerations alike”, he said.
