The Baltic countries and Poland are calling for a new democratic presidential election in Belarus, the Lithuanian president's office said on Monday.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland are also urging the European Union to impose targeted sanctions against Alexander Lukashenko’s regime.
The press release came after President Gitanas Nausėda's video call with President Kersti Kaljulaid of Estonia, President Egils Levits of Latvia, and President Andrzej Duda of Poland.
"During the conversation, the four presidents agreed that a new election in line with democratic standards and with the presence of international observers was the way to achieve civil peace in Belarus," Nausėda's office said
The Baltic and Polish leaders also discussed preparations for an extraordinary European Council meeting to be held at their initiative on Wednesday.
"The presidents shared a view that the European Union had to impose targeted sanctions against the Belarusian officials responsible for the electoral fraud and repression against peaceful protesters," according to the press release.
Nausėda informed his counterparts that Minsk had toughened its rhetoric towards the EU and NATO over the weekend.
Read more: Belarus ‘escalates tensions’ by launching military drills near Lithuanian border, says minister
"According to the president, this, however, did not change the call signed by the four presidents last week and the intention to initiate a national reconciliation forum in Belarus," his office said.
The initiative has been supported by Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the opposition challenger in Belarus's disputed presidential election,
The four presidents also discussed initiatives to support Belarus' civil society and the victims of repression.
EU leaders to hold summit over Belarus' crisis Wednesday
During the video summit on Wednesday, Belarus will be on the agenda, according to Nausėda adviser, Asta Skaisgirytė. After the Lithuanian president’s meeting with ministers and the heads of security services, she said “everything, not just sanctions” will be discussed at the summit.
Read more: Lithuanian president: Lukashenko not legitimate leader of Belarus
In their video conference earlier on Monday, the presidents of the three Baltic countries and Poland backed "inevitable sanctions" against Belarus' officials “responsible for the crackdown on people", Skaisgiryte said.
Last week, EU foreign ministers agreed to draw up a list of targets in Belarus for sanctions.
Merkel thanks Lithuania for helping Belarus' opposition candidate Tikhanovskaya
German Chancellor Angela Merkel thanked Lithuania for providing help to Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, President Gitanas Nausėda's office said after the two leaders' phone call on Monday evening.
"During the conversation, the chancellor thanked Lithuania for its assistance to Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and was interested in her condition and future plans," the president's office said in a press release.
Nausėda and Merkel discussed the EU's video summit planned for Wednesday and possible sanctions against Belarus.
"During the Council meeting on Wednesday, the EU leaders should exchange their views and assessment of the situation in Belarus as well as discuss possible sanctions," according to the press release.

"Angela Merkel informed the president about her scheduled call with the Russian President [Vladimir Putin] on Tuesday morning. Berlin is also currently trying to get through to Alexander Lukashenko to settle the situation in Belarus," it said.
"The two leaders also discussed possible support for consolidation of civil society" in Belarus.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Belarus after Lukashenko claimed a landslide victory in the August 9 presidential election.
Around 7,000 people were arrested in a police crackdown on protestors. Some detainees said they had been tortured in jail.
Read more: Surviving captivity in Minsk. Belarusian detainee recalls abuse and endless beatings




