„We hear this news and are probably aware that every country has its own foreign policy and its own specific goals, so we likely cannot assess the United States' position today without knowing exactly what goals are being pursued and for what purpose this was done,“ he told ELTA.
„Every country has a sovereign foreign policy. All the more so because the United States is a major power and, of course, has the right to its own perspective, its own foreign policy direction, and its own interests. We'll see, of course, that position will likely be clarified,“ said Motuzas.
He notes that Lithuania will continue to maintain a firm stance on sanctions against the Minsk regime.
„I believe that Lithuania will continue to maintain its position, because Lithuania actively participated in approving sanctions, supporting the sanctions package within European institutions, and those sanctions were recently approved and extended against Belarus. Similarly, we will be discussing the extension of these measures in our Seimas during the spring session,“ explained the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee
„That is why we will continue to maintain the same position, as other European Union members, and we likely believe that nothing has changed in Belarus at this stage,“ he added.
Pavilionis: This is a bilateral matter between the U.S. and Belarus
According to Žygimantas Pavilionis, a member of the Seimas and a Conservative, this U.S. decision will have no impact on Lithuania, as Vilnius applies these restrictive measures in coordination with the European Union (EU). According to the politician, the U.S. decision to lift sanctions is a bilateral decision.
„This is a bilateral track, as the Americans say. We adopted the EU's decision on sanctions against Belarus, and we will continue to do so,“ he told ELTA.
When asked whether, to his knowledge, the Americans had pressured Lithuania to review sanctions against Belarus, the politician denied it.
„Absolutely not. They confirmed that to me and continue to confirm it. This is a bilateral American track. These are their negotiations with Belarus, and that's it, period. No interpretations,“ he said.
Meanwhile, speaking about Alexander Lukashenko's double-dealing with the Americans and Russia, Pavilionis asserted that the leader of the Minsk regime may feign a break with Vladimir Putin, but, according to him, will ultimately mock Washington.
„He'll sell anything to anyone, but no one believes him. He cannot be trusted,“ said the parliamentarian.
The Conservative was interviewed immediately after he visited the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius. When asked what the Americans had told him, the politician stated that there are no signs of progress in this bilateral track between the U.S. and Belarus.
„I cannot reveal who specifically told me what, but most of the Americans we spoke with agreed that this path leads nowhere,“ he said.
Belarus' state news agency Belta reported that the U.S. is lifting sanctions on two Belarusian banks—Belinvestbank and the Development Bank—as well as the Ministry of Finance and fertiliser companies—the Belarusian Potash Company and Belaruskalij.
U.S. Special Envoy John Coale, who met with the Belarusian president, informed the agency of this.
Following the meeting, the release of 15–20 political prisoners in Belarus was also announced.
According to the office of Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, 15 political prisoners will arrive in Vilnius.
Before travelling to Belarus, the U.S. special envoy also visited Vilnius and met with Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė. After the meeting, the head of government stated that it would have a positive impact on Lithuania.
She also later said that discussions with the Americans regarding the resumption of the transit of Belarusian potash fertilisers through Lithuania are not currently taking place at any level, and therefore urged that this issue not be escalated.
However, it also emerged on Thursday that Coale, who is visiting Lithuania, met not only with the Prime Minister but also with Seimas members Ignas Vėgėlė and Rimas Jonas Jankūnas, as well as MEP Petras Gražulis; the news portal Lrt.lt was the first to report this.
The politicians later confirmed the meeting but declined to comment further.
ELTA notes that last December, the U.S. Special Envoy stated that discussions regarding sanctions on Belarusian fertilisers would continue.
The administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden imposed sanctions on Belarusian potash fertilisers in 2021, one year after the Belarusian presidential election, which Alexander Lukashenko illegally won.
In 2022, the European Union (EU) also imposed sanctions on Belarusian fertilisers.
At that time, the Lithuanian state-owned company Lietuvos Geležinkeliai terminated the contract for the transit of fertiliser in accordance with a 2022 government decision stating that Belaruskalij poses a threat to national security. Until then, transit was supposed to continue until the end of 2023.