LRT English Newsletter: Revisiting the Taiwan question?

LRT English Newsletter – February 13, 2026.

Last week, we covered the discussions surrounding Belarus. Now, it’s time for the Taipei-Beijing dilemma.

A quick recap on where it all began. The previous Homeland Union-led government said it would follow a “values-based” foreign policy and pivoted away from China. The key point was the opening of the “Taiwanese” trade office Vilnius, which did not follow the usual EU convention of naming the de facto embassies after Taipei, the capital of the self-ruled island. Beijing reacted by imposing sanctions, as well as downgrading and freezing diplomatic relations.

Now, the social democrat-led government is undoing the previous “values-based” rhetoric by seeking to normalise ties with China. How far Lithuania’s leaders are prepared to go is another question. At first, they hinted that changing the name of the Taiwanese office would be a tad too much. This week, however, Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė blew the door wide open by saying she did not see a reason why the name couldn’t be changed. Only, the reason – critics argue – would be a massive hit on Lithuania’s reputation. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s reps in Vilnius said there were no formal discussions on renaming the office

President Gitanas Nausėda kicked the ball over to the Taiwanese side, saying the decision was not down to Lithuania.

Speaking of Belarus – apparently, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya sent a letter to the Lithuanian prime minister to seek a compromise, but received no reply. The office of the once-presidential hopeful has already begun operating from Warsaw, while Lithuanian leaders show increased engagement with other Belarusian opposition forces that, incidentally or not (probably not), support easing sanctions on the regime.

Adding to the chaotic chain of events, a Tsikhanouskaya rep was harassed by a Belarusian who was at the same restaurant with Lithuanian MEP Petras Gražulis, one of the more colourful members of Lithuania’s populist cohort.

DRONES AND BALLOONS

Brussels has unveiled a Drone Action Plan, which builds on the need to have counter-drone systems, as well as means to bring down the contraband balloons that have been entering the Baltic states and Poland. Meanwhile, a Lithuanian company has also developed a system to track smuggling balloons.

DON’T GET IMPALED

As the snow melts, please keep an eye out on the rooftops. The dripping water and below-zero temperatures at night are helping form dangerous icicles dangling precariously over your penetrable heads. So please don’t end up in a horror film scene, and don’t walk under them.

RADAROM IS BACK

Radarom initiative is back this year, with this installment raising funds to buy unmanned ground vehicles that are being increasingly utilised in Ukraine for both combat and non-lethal functions.

ECONOMY UPDATES

– Despite stellar performance so far, is Lithuania’s economy facing serious issues in the near future?

– January heating bills haven’t been great.

– Lithuania is making moves to channel more money into defence financing.

– And here's what the EU-India deal could mean for Lithuania.

RAIDING THE PARLIAMENT

Officers from the country’s anti-corruption watchdog, the Special Investigations Service (STT), raided the parliament on Monday, searching the offices of MPs Saulius Skvernelis and Kazys Starkevičius. Skvernelis is a former prime minister and head of the Democrats “For Lithuania” political party, while Starkevičius is a member of the Homeland Union (TS-LKD) conservatives, the main opposition party. They are now named special witnesses, meaning the law enforcement is analysing their actions, but don’t have enough evidence to press charges. The case follows on from earlier raids in which over a million euros in cash, as well as gold and cocaine, were seized as part of a large-scale corruption probe.

EDITOR’S PICKS:

– Here’s how the new migration chief sees her work.