Lithuania must engage with US envoy on security interests, not Belarus, says Ušackas

Lithuania’s discussions with US special envoy John Coale should focus on the country’s security interests rather than Belarus, former foreign minister Vygaudas Ušackas told LRT’s Savaitė programme.

Coale, the US special envoy to Belarus, recently urged Lithuania to restore relations with Minsk, hold vice-ministerial talks, and allow Belarusian potash fertiliser transit—a move he argued would benefit both Europe and the US. Prime Minister Ingrida Ruginienė has set three conditions for technical-level talks: halting cross-border contraband balloons, returning all seized Lithuanian trucks without fees, and stopping illegal migrant crossings.

Ušackas stressed that Lithuania’s priority must be aligning with US expectations to secure its own defence. “We must assess our national interests first,” he said. “After a year of Trump’s leadership, the rules of the game in America are changing, and their national interests come first. We need to reconcile our own.”

He acknowledged surprise at Coale’s public statements but noted that as a political appointee, Coale directly reflects Trump’s stance. “This is a yellow card for Lithuania—a signal to consider what the US president expects,” Ušackas said, warning against ignoring Washington’s position, which could lead to disappointment later.

Ušackas dismissed concerns over Trump’s unpredictability, arguing that formal agreements—not rhetoric—provide real guarantees. “The only guarantee is a signed contract,” he said. “Trump understands the language of deals.”

Ultimately, he framed talks with Coale as essential for Lithuania’s security: “We’re not negotiating for Belarus’s sake, but for our own national interests, which only the US can ensure—militarily, politically, diplomatically, and economically.”