Lithuania accuses Belarus state TV of distorting foreign minister’s remarks

The Lithuanian foreign ministry has accused Belarusian state television of deliberately distorting comments by Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys to suggest Lithuania seeks improved relations with Minsk, LRT.lt reports.

Belarusian state broadcaster ONT aired a segment in which Budrys appears to say he “dreams” of restoring ties with Belarus, calling it a “personal wish.” The clip, filmed at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, omitted his criticism of Alexander Lukashenko’s regime, including its political prisoners and support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to Lithuania’s foreign ministry.

“The minister spoke about the Lukashenko regime’s repression of civil society—releasing some political prisoners while arresting others,” the ministry stated. It emphasized that Lithuania cannot normalize relations while Belarus holds political prisoners, aids Russia’s aggression, and conducts hybrid attacks against Lithuania from its territory.

The edited broadcast, which included a noticeable cut mid-interview, was later cited in an official statement by Belarus’s foreign ministry. Minsk claimed it “welcomes” Budrys’s remarks and expressed readiness for “constructive dialogue,” hoping to restore bilateral relations to a “desired level.”

Lithuania’s foreign ministry dismissed the report as “provocation and manipulation,” noting Belarus ranks among Europe’s most dangerous countries for journalists alongside Russia. Since the disputed 2020 presidential election, independent media in Belarus have been systematically shut down, leaving only state-controlled outlets.

The incident follows recent discussions in Lithuania about potential lower-level engagement with Minsk, though officials stress this would not signal a shift in policy toward Lukashenko’s government. Earlier this month, Belarus released 250 political prisoners in exchange for eased US sanctions.