Lithuanian PM says visit by US envoy Coale is being coordinated

VILNIUS - Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said on Tuesday that a visit to Lithuania by John Coale, US President Donald Trump's envoy to Belarus, is currently being coordinated.

"According to my preliminary data, he will arrive, but let's not consider this a 100 percent guarantee, as a visit was planned last time as well, but it was cancelled at the last minute," Ruginiene told reporters.

Lithuania has previously sought US assistance in resolving issues related to contraband balloons from Belarus and Lithuanian company trucks detained by the Minsk regime.

Lithuanian companies fear that Belarus will begin implementing its threats and proceed with the confiscation of trucks detained since October.

According to the National Road Carriers Association Linava, the confiscation of trucks and semi-trailers could commence on Tuesday, March 10.

Minsk prohibited Lithuanian trucks from moving within the country in response to Lithuania's decision to close border checkpoints in late October last year due to the threat of contraband balloons. On November 10, it was announced that a daily fee of 120 euros would be charged for each stationary Lithuanian truck, with failure to pay resulting in vehicle confiscation.

The National Crisis Management Center estimates that, based on Linava's updated list of 1,418 vehicles, 550 Lithuanian trucks and semi-trailers stranded in Belarus had not returned to Lithuania between late October and February 27, while 868 have already returned.

Meanwhile, according to the latest data collected by Linava from companies that provided information, 1,472 trucks and semi-trailers remain stranded in Belarus.