Lithuania should resume Belarusian fertiliser transit and use revenue for defence, says ruling party leader

Lithuania should restore economic ties with Belarus and allow the transit of Belarusian fertilisers through its territory, using the revenue to strengthen national defence, Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the ruling “Nemuno aušra” party, told ELTA Savaitė.

His comments follow calls from US special envoy to Belarus John Coale for Vilnius to reopen dialogue with Minsk, including resuming fertiliser transit.

“Today, we are pumping money into Russia’s budget, which continues to kill Ukrainians and occupy territories because of our inaction,” Žemaitaitis said. “By allowing Belarusian fertilisers to transit through Russian ports and railways, we are putting money into [Russia’s] budget.”

He argued that Lithuania should permit the transit of fertilisers and other goods from Belarus, noting that the cargo would move regardless. “They will transit one way or another. We should take that money and invest it in defence—that’s the smart approach,” he said.

Žemaitaitis proposed expanding economic relations with Belarus to generate funds for Lithuania’s defence needs.

Prime Minister Ingrida Ruginienė earlier stated that Lithuania would consider meeting with Belarusian officials at the deputy minister level if Minsk met three conditions: halting cross-border contraband balloon launches, releasing detained Lithuanian truckers without fines, and stopping illegal migrant crossings.

President Gitanas Nausėda has said dialogue with Belarus is possible only if Minsk demonstrates a genuine willingness to improve neighbourly relations and ceases threats against Lithuania. He noted that fertiliser transit issues are addressed at the EU level.

Last week, the US lifted sanctions on Belarus’s Belinvestbank, Development Bank, Finance Ministry, and fertiliser firms, including Belaruskali. The move follows a 2023 announcement by the US special envoy that Washington would remove restrictions on Belarusian potash exports. The Biden administration had imposed sanctions in 2021, with the EU following in 2022. Lithuania’s state railway terminated its transit contract with Belaruskali in 2022, citing national security risks.