Skaisgirytė calls for tighter Belarus sanctions and regional grain solution

President Gitanas Nausėda’s chief adviser, Asta Skaisgirytė, says Lithuania believes sanctions against Belarus should be strengthened, LRT reported.

“Lithuania’s position is neither hardening nor softening. We are sticking to our line and, despite all the discussions in the public sphere, I think we will continue to do so. The Belarusian regime is repressive, and sanctions against Belarus must be strengthened,” Skaisgirytė told Žinių radijas on Tuesday.

She said Lithuania currently sees no possibility for political dialogue with Belarus.

“To start a dialogue, you need to have something to discuss. What can we discuss in this case? The Americans have started that dialogue and are talking about the release of political prisoners. I think there would have to be some fundamental change in circumstances for meaningful dialogue to be possible,” she said.

John Coale, the United States special envoy to Belarus, previously told LRT.lt that Lithuania should hold a bilateral meeting with Minsk at deputy foreign minister level. He also said Belarusian potash fertiliser should again be transported through Lithuania, arguing that this would open access to Europe and the United States.

Nausėda has said dialogue with Belarus would be possible only if the country showed a genuine willingness to develop good-neighbourly relations and posed no threats to Lithuania. He has said there are currently no signs of this.

The European Union extended its sanctions against Belarus for one year in February. The measures target individuals and entities responsible for repression and intimidation of peaceful protesters, opposition members and journalists, as well as improper conduct of the electoral process, the torture of detainees and other human rights violations.

Economic sanctions also remain in force in the trade, finance, transport, energy and other sectors. They are intended to reduce the regime’s income and prevent sanctions evasion. The administration of former US President Joe Biden imposed sanctions on Belarusian potash fertiliser in 2021, a year after the Belarusian presidential election that Aliaksandr Lukashenko was declared to have won illegally.

Adviser calls for regional solution on Russian grain exports

Skaisgirytė also called for a solution to prevent Russia from using Lithuania’s and other EU countries’ Baltic Sea ports to export grain.

Foreign media have reported that Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s transport infrastructure forced the country to redirect grain exports through Baltic ports.

Skaisgirytė said the Presidential Office would like to discuss the situation with the government and businesses operating in Klaipėda.

“We would definitely like to discuss this with the government and hear how they see it, as well as discuss it with businesses operating in Klaipėda and hear their view of the situation. We should seek a common agreement on how to ensure that our ports are not used to allow Russia to transport this grain easily,” she told Žinių radijas.

The issue has also become relevant in the region because of suspicions that some grain exported by Russia may have been grown in occupied Ukrainian territories.

Agriculture Minister Kęstutis Mažeika recently instructed the State Food and Veterinary Service to check the origin of all grain transported through Lithuania from Russia and Belarus.

Latvia is also considering various restrictions to prevent grain transit through the country, including imposing substantial duties on shipments.

Skaisgirytė said a regional solution would be the best option.

“If Latvia becomes unattractive for loading grain while Lithuania remains attractive, that is not a solution. We should seek some broader agreement among the Baltic Sea countries,” she said.