Minsk does not dictate the terms for negotiations, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko ordered his government to begin talks with Lithuanian officials on normalising the border situation.
“I don’t think we should frame the issue that way, and that’s not how it will be decided by the government. It is not Lukashenko who sets the conditions for who should meet with whom or what should be done,” Budrys told the news website 15min.lt. “We have our own fundamental principles in foreign policy, which we agreed upon and included in the government’s program, and we have our own tactics.”
Budrys said Lithuania’s decision to close two border crossing points with Belarus was a response to what he described as the “instrumentalisation” of smuggling balloons that poses a threat to Lithuanian airspace.
“All the measures we are applying at the border will be reviewed, taking into account the situation in the air,” he said. “If the situation in the air is good, the situation on the ground will also change.”
Earlier Tuesday, Lukashenko instructed Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov to organise negotiations with Lithuanian officials to normalise the situation and restore full operation of border crossings, according to Belarusian media.
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Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service said its commander had reached out to Belarusian authorities late Monday to request permission for Lithuanian trucks stranded in Belarus to return home through the Medininkai and Šalčininkai crossings. Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovič said Tuesday that no response had yet been received.
The national road carriers’ association Linava has called for “at least minimal diplomatic dialogue” with Minsk to ensure the safety and evacuation of Lithuanian haulers, reopen at least one border crossing, and develop compensation measures for losses.
The Belarusian news portal Nasha Niva reported earlier that Lithuanian trucks would not be allowed to leave Belarus until Lithuania reopened the border. Around 1,000 Lithuanian trucks are currently stranded in the country, according to Belarusian data.
“When it comes to our companies, we not only take their interests into account, but also consider it our duty to protect them,” Budrys said. “Seeing how we are now negotiating and communicating with haulers about the situation and further actions, I can see that we are working as a larger team and will overcome this situation.”
The minister added that Lithuania’s allies are also engaged in addressing the standoff.
“We are not left alone on this bilateral path, the United States is fully involved,” he said. “Taking into account how we are working in Brussels and with other allies, we will define our next steps within the government. My strong recommendation is not to follow what they are trying to impose on us.”
The Lithuanian government has closed its border with Belarus until November 30, with limited exceptions in place at the Medininkai crossing.
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