{"id":180309,"date":"2026-03-20T17:51:46","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T14:51:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/180309\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T17:55:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T14:55:11","slug":"lukasenka-belarus-to-let-out-stranded-lithuanian-trucks-starting-march-23","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/180309\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0141uka\u0161enka: Belarus to let out stranded Lithuanian trucks starting March 23"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n \"\"\n
\n \n
\n (Pul Pervogo Telegram channel)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

March 20, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>Belarus will release foreign-registered trucks, mostly from Lithuania, that have been stranded in the country since last fall, starting on March 23, Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka has told Belarusian state-run media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe will return these trucks. I feel sorry for the Poles and Lithuanians,\u201d his press office quoted him as saying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The politician made this statement next day after his talks with John Coale, US special envoy for Belarus, who negotiated the release of 250 jailed Belarusian dissidents and\u00a0raised Lithuania’s \u200cconcerns over stranded trucks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think we’re getting great progress with that”, Coale told Reuters<\/em> after the meeting. “I think that \u0141uka\u0161enka is in the mindset that these are not too important issues and they’re \u2060worth \u200bgiving up.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this week, Belarusian Prime Minister Alaksandar Tur\u010dyn met with executives from Lithuanian and Polish trucking companies to discuss stranded trucks. However, the meeting did not produce a breakthrough. Belarusian officials stressed only that the trucking companies must pay all parking and security fees, which executives described as exorbitant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk barred Lithuanian trucks from leaving the country after Vilnius closed the Medininkai\u2013Kamienny \u0141oh and \u0160al\u010dininkai\u2013Bieniakoni border checkpoints for three weeks in late October and November 2025, following incursions by air balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes from Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus pushed for consultations between the two countries\u2019 foreign ministries, while Lithuania rejected direct diplomatic talks, having significantly downgraded official contacts after what it described as Belarus\u2019 rigged 2020 presidential election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius views political negotiations with Minsk as an attempt to break the international isolation of \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime and potentially pave the way for easing sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk\u2019s holding hundreds of foreign-registered trucks in the country since November is unacceptable and unjustified,\u00a0the European Commission responded to a complaint by LINAVA, the Lithuanian National Road Carriers Association, that cited significant property damage caused by Minsk\u2019s refusal to release the vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus still reportedly holds at least 1,071 vehicles belonging to 149 Lithuanian transport companies, including 496 trucks and 575 semi-trailers. LINAVA estimated their value at \u20ac15,907,020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n
\n \"\"