US envoy’s Minsk visit may bolster Lukashenko, Lithuanian MPs say

Another planned visit to Belarus by US President Donald Trump’s special envoy John Coale, and Washington’s dialogue with Minsk, could increase Aliaksandr Lukashenko’s confidence, the heads of Lithuania’s parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee told LRT.

Coale is expected to visit Minsk again next week. During his previous visit, he spoke about the need for Lithuania to resume political dialogue with Belarus and allow the transit of Belarusian fertilisers through Lithuania.

Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Remigijus Motuzas said he saw no direct risk to Lithuania from US contacts with the Minsk regime, but acknowledged that they could strengthen Lukashenko’s confidence in his policies.

Motuzas said Coale’s main objective was likely to secure the release of political prisoners. However, he noted that Belarus continues to imprison people while releasing others.

“For as many as are released during the period between one release and the next, the same number are later imprisoned,” Motuzas told ELTA.

He also said Belarus was using the release of political prisoners in negotiations with the United States to seek concessions, including the possible lifting of certain sanctions.

Motuzas said Washington had previously signalled that Lithuania should consider restoring contacts with Belarus, including at deputy foreign minister level, but that such appeals had not been heard recently.

He added that the United States also appeared to be seeking to reduce Belarus’s dependence on Russia, although he said there had been no fundamental change in that relationship. Belarus continues to maintain close ties with Russia, and Lukashenko recently visited Moscow, he said.

Foreign Affairs Committee deputy chairman Žygimantas Pavilionis took a more critical view, saying that US dialogue with Belarus posed risks to Lithuania and could benefit Russia.

Pavilionis said Lithuania should continue its strict sanctions policy towards Belarus and seek to persuade the US administration not to ease pressure on Minsk. He welcomed the release of political prisoners but said Lukashenko was using the process to seek concessions from the West, including sanctions relief.