Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said the US is pressuring Lithuania to allow the transit of Belarusian fertilisers through its territory, according to remarks made in a closed-door meeting with the Social Democratic faction.
Several Social Democrats who attended the meeting confirmed the information on condition of anonymity. According to them, Budrys specifically used the word “pressure”.
Sources said the pressure is being applied not only to Lithuania but also to other countries in the region that could serve as transit routes. However, Lithuania is considered the most attractive route for Belarusian fertilisers to reach the Baltic Sea.
Budrys told the social democrats that the US had previously explored options for transporting the fertilisers.
One of the explored options included a US company purchasing them from Belaruskali and rebranding the goods as American. A scenario involving transport on humanitarian grounds was also considered.
However, Lithuanian officials said that such transit was restricted by European Union sanctions, which were extended for another year in February.
Lithuania has suspended the transit of Belarusian potash fertilisers since 2022, following the imposition of US sanctions on Belaruskali in 2021 in response to human rights violations and repression in Belarus.
This year, the US lifted some sanctions after the Belarusian authorities released a number of political prisoners. Budrys also noted that Minsk could exploit the shift in relations with the US to increase pressure on Lithuania.
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