Lithuania should maintain its stance on Belarus despite US sanctions relief, says Liberal leader

The United States’ decision to lift sanctions on several Belarusian entities in exchange for the release of political prisoners should not influence Lithuania’s position, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, leader of the Liberal Movement, told Žinių Radijas on Friday.

“The US is pursuing its own bilateral path with Belarus,” Čmilytė-Nielsen said. “Whether this should affect Lithuania’s stance—especially regarding sanctions—I believe it should not. We have European decisions, and we adhere to them.”

She stressed that Lithuania’s strategic interest must remain “not financing or giving more room to breathe to either the Russian or Belarusian regimes.”

The US move, she argued, “undoubtedly eases the situation and extends a helping hand to Vladimir Putin’s economy,” noting that Belarus’ regime is directly linked to Russia’s. “Unfortunately, due to the war in the Middle East, oil price surges, and other decisions, the situation for Putin’s regime—and thus Alexander Lukashenko’s—has improved.”

Washington permanently removed sanctions on potash giant Belaruskali, as well as Belinvestbank, the Development Bank, and the Finance Ministry, following the release of 250 political prisoners. Some restrictions on Belaruskali had already been eased in December after Minsk freed 123 detainees, sparking speculation that the US might pressure the EU and Lithuania to resume transit of Belarusian potash through Klaipėda port.

Lithuania halted the shipment of Belaruskali fertilizers via its territory in February 2022, citing US sanctions and national security concerns. The EU later imposed its own restrictions, extended for another year in February.