Lithuania ready to improve relations with Belarus but demands systemic change

Lithuania is prepared to improve relations with Belarus but insists on systemic changes from Minsk, including democratic progress and reduced support for Russia’s war industry, the presidential advisor said in an interview with public broadcaster LRT on Wednesday.

Deividas Matulionis, chief advisor to the president, told LRT Television’s “Dienos tema” (“Topic of the Day”) that while Lithuania is open to dialogue at a technical level, any high-level political engagement remains off the table. “We are indeed ready to improve these relations, but Belarus must demonstrate systemic changes—toward democratisation, reduced support for Russia’s war machinery, and perhaps greater independence for Belarus itself,” he stated.

Matulionis acknowledged attempts by Belarus to force Lithuania into dialogue, warning that such moves could be seen as a diplomatic effort to undermine Lithuania’s stance. “This is a kind of forced attempt to pull us into dialogue and, in a way, perhaps diplomatically diminish us,” he said, adding that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko could later claim Lithuania had “finally understood who they need to talk to.”

The advisor emphasised that Lithuania’s position aligns with the broader European Union stance, which avoids high-level political contact with Minsk. Technical discussions, however, remain possible.

His comments follow a recent proposal by John Coale, an envoy for former US President Donald Trump, suggesting that Belarusian potash fertilizers could be routed through Lithuania. Coale had expressed hope that Lithuania would agree to bilateral talks with Belarus at the vice-ministerial level.