Nauseda advised the U.S. ambassador to be wary of getting too close to Lukashenko

During a meeting with U.S. Special Envoy John Cole, Gitanas Nausėda emphasized the need for caution in dealing with Belarus’s self-proclaimed president, Alexander Lukashenko.

Nausėda told reporters this in Brussels, according to LRT.

According to the Lithuanian president, communication between U.S. representatives and Lukashenko could create the illusion that Minsk is moving toward rapprochement with the West, even though this is not the case.

“I actively tried to convince them that we need to be very cautious in communicating with the Belarusian dictator. Yes, perhaps he can create a rather favorable backdrop for the emergence of illusions that he might move closer to the West, but there are many objective reasons why he cannot move closer to the West,” he said.

Naudes noted that more attention should be paid to Lukashenko’s actions rather than his statements.

"These actual actions show that he is not getting any closer to the West—deploying 'Oreshnik,' helping Russia carry out drone attacks against Ukraine, simply through his aggressive rhetoric, his weather balloons. There is no reason to believe that anything is changing in substance," said Naudesa.

He welcomed U.S. efforts to secure the release of political prisoners from Belarus but noted that Minsk is exploiting this situation to its advantage, particularly to lift sanctions. Thus, this motivates Lukashenko to continue the detentions, Nausėda noted. 

The Lithuanian president also noted that during his meeting with the U.S. special envoy, he did not discuss the issue of sanctions against Belarus.

Lukashenkomet with the U.S. delegation and hinted that they are waging war against his friends.

Earlier, Belarus’s self-proclaimed president, Alexander Lukashenko, threatened Ukraine and NATO countries with the use of the “Oreshnik” medium-range ballistic missile.

Previously, the U.S. and Lukashenko agreedon the release of more than 250 Belarusian political prisoners.

Belarusian dictator Lukashenko pardoned 123 prisoners, including Belarusian opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova and human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski.

U.S. Special Representative in Minsk John Cole announced Washington’s decision to lift sanctions previously imposed on Belarusian potash.