Nausėda Urges Caution in US Envoy’s Talks with Lukashenko

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has advised US Special Envoy for Belarus John Cole to exercise caution during negotiations with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, warning that Lukashenko may be attempting to create a false impression of openness to the West. The concerns come as Cole visited Lithuania before traveling to Belarus on Thursday, March 19, 2026.

Concerns Over Lukashenko’s Intentions

Nausėda expressed his concerns to Cole, suggesting that Lukashenko might be trying to present an image of willingness to engage with Western nations, despite objective reasons indicating otherwise. “I proactively tried to convince him that one should be very careful in negotiations with the dictator of Belarus,” Nausėda told reporters in Brussels. “Yes, maybe he can create a suitable background for illusions or attempts to dream that he can get closer to the West, but there are many objective reasons why he cannot get closer to the West,” Delfi reported.

Belarusian Actions Contradict Rhetoric

Nausėda highlighted a series of actions by Belarus that contradict any claims of a shift towards the West. These include the deployment of “Oreshnik” missiles, assistance to Russia in drone attacks against Ukraine, aggressive rhetoric, and reported incidents involving contraband balloons. UA News detailed Nausėda’s emphasis on focusing on Lukashenko’s actions rather than his statements.

Political Prisoner Releases and Potential Exploitation

While welcoming US efforts to secure the release of political prisoners in Belarus, Nausėda cautioned that Minsk may be exploiting this issue to gain concessions. He warned that Lukashenko might be motivated to imprison more individuals to maintain leverage for future negotiations, describing it as “a vicious and very wrong circle.”

Meetings with Lithuanian Officials

Prior to his visit to Belarus, Cole met with Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė, as well as members of parliament Igna Vēgēli and Rima Jonas Jankūnas, and European Parliament member Petras Gražulis. Nausėda expressed reservations about the meeting with Gražulis, suggesting a need to scrutinize the values and representations of individuals before engaging in discussions.

Hybrid Attacks and Transit Concerns

Discussions between Cole and Lithuanian officials also covered hybrid attacks carried out by Minsk against Lithuania, including the launch of contraband balloons and the detention of Lithuanian transport trucks. Lithuania had previously requested US assistance in addressing these issues. There has been speculation regarding potential US pressure on Lithuania to resume the transit of Belarusian potash fertilizers through the port of Klaipėda, a practice suspended in February 2022 due to US sanctions and national security concerns.

Recent Developments in Prisoner Releases

In a separate development on September 11, 2025, Belarus released 52 political prisoners, including Lithuanian citizen Elena Ramanauskienė, following involvement from US President Donald Trump. LRT reported that prisoners from the United Kingdom, Latvia, Poland, Germany and France were also released. Yet, over a thousand political prisoners remain in Belarus.