Lithuania ready to assist in Hormuz Strait but may not need to

Lithuania is politically prepared to contribute to efforts ensuring safe shipping in the Hormuz Strait, a key oil transit route, though such involvement may not be necessary if regional tensions ease soon, a senior presidential advisor said on Tuesday.

Deividas Matulionis, national security advisor to the Lithuanian president, told national radio that more than 20 countries, including Lithuania, declared last weekend their readiness to join a maritime security mission in the Strait. He stressed that Vilnius has not yet decided on specific contributions.

“For now this is more of a political statement. We cannot yet say what exactly Lithuania would contribute,” Matulionis told Žinių radijas.

Any Lithuanian participation would first require a military assessment of available capabilities, followed by approval from the State Defence Council and parliament, he added.

Matulionis said he believes de-escalation is underway in the Middle East and that a resolution to the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran could come soon.

“My sense is that we are moving toward reducing escalation, and there is a good chance the conflict could end in some form in the near future,” he said.

He noted ongoing indirect talks between Iran and the U.S., saying both sides appear motivated to end the confrontation rather than escalate it further.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that negotiations have reached “important points of agreement” that should lead Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions and enriched uranium stockpiles. Iranian officials, however, denied that such talks were taking place. Trump also said he had postponed planned strikes on Iranian power plants, citing progress in the talks.

U.S. envoy’s Minsk visit aimed at halting hybrid attacks on Lithuania

Matulionis said the visit to Minsk by U.S. special envoy John Cole was not intended to improve relations between Lithuania and Belarus but rather to urge Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to halt hybrid actions against Lithuania.

“The visit was less about reconciliation and more about persuading Lukashenko to end the provocations and hybrid activities he has carried out since 2020,” Matulionis told Žinių radijas.

He reiterated that the U.S. seeks not only the release of political prisoners but also urges Belarus to de-escalate tensions with neighboring countries.

On Monday, Lukashenko allowed Lithuanian cargo vehicles to leave Belarus, and on Tuesday morning the State Border Guard Service reported that eight previously detained Minsk trucks had returned to Lithuania.

Matulionis said the release of the trucks may reflect U.S. pressure on Belarus to reduce tensions with Lithuania.

“I am convinced this was the result of U.S. envoy John Cole’s work in Belarus,” he said.

Poligon law seen as coalition loyalty test

Matulionis said the draft law on establishing a military training ground in Kapčiamiestis, to be submitted to parliament on Tuesday, will serve as a litmus test for the stability of the ruling coalition. He added that Poland’s recent statement on the proposed poligon does not raise concerns.

“I think this really is a litmus test. If positions within the ruling majority diverge on such an important national security issue, it raises questions about what else unites them,” Matulionis said.