{"id":174117,"date":"2026-02-03T18:25:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T15:25:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/174117\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"thaw-between-vilnius-and-minsk-unlikely-any-time-soon-lithuanian-pm-says","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/174117\/","title":{"rendered":"Thaw between Vilnius and Minsk unlikely any time soon, Lithuanian PM says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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February 3, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Relations between Vilnius and Minsk are unlikely to warm any time soon, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginien\u0117 said on 3 February in an interview with BNS<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime, it is more important to demonstrate power in his dealings with Lithuania, Ruginien\u0117 was quoted as saying by lrt.lt<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt present I can see no warming in these relations, and there are probably no reasons for it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Ruginien\u0117, she discussed the two countries\u2019 relations with Belarusian opposition politician Maryja Kale\u015bnikava, who was released from prison last December and currently visits Lithuania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs long as Belarus is displaying aggression, as long as it listens only to the language of force and sees pressure as the only way to influence us\u2026 we really see no possibility for unfreezing these relations even a little bit. We oppose communication in the language of force and clearly state this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tensions between Belarus and Lithuania have been rising since mid-October 2025 over an influx of cigarette-smuggling balloons that have forced Lithuanian authorities to briefly close the border on several occasions and suspend operations at Vilnius Airport, located close to the Belarusian border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk barred Lithuania-registered trucks from leaving the country and ordered them to move to guarded parking sites. Lithuania, in turn, accused Belarus of escalation by seizing the vehicles and preventing their return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On January 9, Belarus was still holding 410 Lithuanian trucks, 473 semi-trailers and 30 other vehicles, according to LINAVA, the Lithuanian National Road Carriers Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 29 January, Remigijus Motuzas, chairman of the Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee, was quoted as saying that that Vilnius and Minsk are discussing the agenda and a neutral venue for a meeting of deputy foreign ministers, possibly on the sidelines of an international event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius would like to discuss ways to prevent hybrid threats and return Lithuanian trucks stuck in Belarus, Motuzas added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuanian Foreign Minister K\u0119stutis Budrys described these remarks as \u201chypothetical.\u201d \u201cThis is the opinion of a diplomat and specialist with many years of experience, and I have heard it. But as things stand now, this is not being done \u2014 we are focusing on other areas and measures,\u201d Budrys reportedly said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania has a clear understanding from the European Union of the situation on the Belarus border and currently focuses on sanctions against Belarus and Russia, he noted. Intensive preparations are underway in Brussels for both the extension of sanctions on Belarus and the 20th sanctions package against Russia, with a decision expected by late February, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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