{"id":184530,"date":"2026-04-22T16:52:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:52:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/184530\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T20:20:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T17:20:57","slug":"lithuanias-pm-links-dialogue-with-minsk-to-signs-of-goodwill","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/184530\/","title":{"rendered":"Lithuania\u2019s PM links dialogue with Minsk to signs of goodwill"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (lrt.lt)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

April 22, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginien\u0117\u00a0has linked potential rapprochement with Belarus to a demonstration of goodwill by Minsk, reiterating earlier demands by Lithuanian government officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are not talking about restoring the kind of relations or dialogue that existed many years ago before the war,” LRT<\/em> quoted Ruginien\u0117 as saying. “We are talking about the possibility of normalising relations by exchanging certain technical details, as other countries do, but even that requires circumstances and conditions that the other side must fulfil.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her statement follows yesterday\u2019s remarks by Deividas Matulionis, a senior aide to the Lithuanian president, who said Vilnius was not ruling out dialogue with Minsk at a \u201clower political level\u201d provided the Belarusian authorities demonstrate goodwill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania expects Minsk to provide long-term solutions to the tensions caused by cigarette-smuggling weather balloons, irregular migration and stranded trucks, Ruginien\u0117 stressed today. As soon as these conditions are met, Vilnius will be able to discuss \u201ca meeting to exchange information,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Coale, US special envoy for Belarus, called for political-level talks between Vilnius and Minsk last month. Coale urged both countries\u2019 diplomats to start resolving existing issues and enable trade with the European Union and the US, including exports of Belarusian potash fertilizers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On April 2, Lithuanian President Gitanas Naus\u0117da said that Minsk should demonstrate genuine efforts to normalize relations with Vilnius. He set out conditions for Lithuania to start considering dialogue with the regime in Minsk. These include an end to irregular crossings by third-country migrants via Belarus and to incursions of cigarette-smuggling balloons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk has been insisting on political-level contacts, yet 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 the political negotiations with Minsk as an attempt to break the international isolation of Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime and potentially pave the way for easing sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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