Leader of Lithuania’s Liberal Movement Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen has accused part of the ruling elite of manipulating public opinion. In her view, they are spreading false information that sanctions imposed on Belarus benefit Russia, Radio Znad Wilii reported citing BNS.
In an interview with the Žinios radio station, Čmilytė-Nielsen said that discussions about a possible resumption of relations between Lithuania and Belarus are taking place within government circles and among certain politicians from the ruling coalition, calling such an approach mistaken.
“These reflections are justified in a manipulative way. An example is a statement by Mindaugas Sinkevičius, who suggests that sanctions on fertilizers and fertilizer transit benefit Russia. This is a complete manipulation. He replaces reality with an appearance and paves the way for a change in Lithuania’s strategic course,” the liberal leader said.
Earlier this week, Mindaugas Sinkevičius met in Vilnius with former Belarusian political prisoner Maria Kalesnikava. After the meeting, he wrote on Facebook that Kalesnikava had, among other things, called for restoring passenger rail service between Minsk and Vilnius and increasing the number of bus routes. Sinkevičius also noted the need to clearly define Lithuania’s policy goals toward Belarus in the short, medium, and long term.
The debate around sanctions intensified after U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy John Coale reached an agreement with the Belarusian authorities in mid-December on the release of some political prisoners and the lifting of sanctions on Belarusian potash fertilizers. After that, speculation began to circulate in Lithuania about possible pressure from Washington on Vilnius to resume fertilizer transit through the port of Klaipėda.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said that the country’s position toward Belarus remains among the toughest in Europe. He stressed that Lithuania’s approach to extending and tightening sanctions against Minsk remains unchanged. A similarly firm stance has also been voiced by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.
