Tsikhanouskaya aide urges Lithuania not to make political concessions

VILNIUS - Dzianis Kuchynski, an aide to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, said on Friday that now is not the time for Lithuania to offer political concessions to Minsk.

The statement follows a call by US Special Envoy for Belarus John Coale for Lithuania to hold a bilateral political meeting with Belarus.

"In our view, now is not the time for Lithuania to offer (Alexander) Lukashenko any political or economic concessions, such as political dialogue or the transit of potash fertilisers," Kuchynski said.

"In my opinion, such steps will lead nowhere because Lukashenko's goal is not cooperation with Lithuania – he seeks to weaken and humiliate Lithuania and the wider democratic community, to gain advantages and continue to undermine Lithuania's national security. Today, Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene clearly stated that no negotiations on fertiliser transit are taking place. We are personally grateful to her and her government for their firm position on this and other issues," he added.

Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Ruginiene said Lithuania would consider a proposal to meet with Belarus at the deputy ministerial level, but only under certain conditions.

In an interview with the public broadcaster LRT, Ruginiene said she had not discussed the transit of Belarusian fertilisers with Coale.

"We are only talking about a technical meeting to exchange positions. That meeting could take place if conditions are met. (...) As for fertilisers, we cannot consider anything because European Union sanctions are currently in force," she said.

Kuchynski said repressions in Belarus continue, and although some political prisoners are being released, they are immediately replaced by new ones.

"This is a cycle designed to create an illusion of change. Lukashenko is not changing course – on the contrary, he is increasingly becoming an accomplice in Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. He acts as Putin's subcontractor and vassal, and will continue hybrid attacks against our neighbours, including Lithuania and Poland, in one way or another," he said.

"We see no systemic changes. This is a regime trying to trade an illusion of change for real concessions – as if it wanted to buy a Lamborghini for 1,000 euros: give very little but expect great benefits," he added.

He urged European partners, including Lithuania, to remain firm and principled.

"More sanctions, constant pressure, continued non-recognition, and clear accountability for Lukashenko. (...) It is precisely this pressure – the deteriorating economic situation and fear of prosecution in The Hague – that forces Lukashenko to make limited concessions, including the release of political prisoners. Pressure and strength are the only language the regimes in Minsk and Moscow understand; any hesitation is perceived as weakness and immediately exploited," Kuchynski said.

He also expressed hope that the US would not exert institutional influence on Lithuania or the European Union to make concessions to the regime.