Belarus Seeks Consultations to Ease EU Sanctions, Says Lithuanian Foreign Minister

Belarus's Bid for Sanctions Relief

Belarus is actively seeking consultations at the foreign ministry level to alleviate its international isolation and ease sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU). This was stated by Lithuania's Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys on November 26, 2025, during a broadcast on LRT radio. According to Budrys, Minsk has explicitly communicated its desire to the United States to alter the EU's current policy of isolation and refusal to engage in dialogue with the Belarusian regime.

The Extensive EU Sanctions Regime Against Belarus

The EU's sanctions against Belarus are comprehensive and have been progressively tightened over several years. Initially adopted in 2004, these measures were significantly stepped up following the disputed presidential election in 2020, the subsequent repression and human rights violations, and the forced diversion of a Ryanair flight in 2021. A major escalation occurred in 2022 due to Belarus's complicity in Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

The sanctions encompass a wide array of restrictions, including:

• Individual sanctions targeting political and economic backers of the Belarusian regime and those responsible for repression.
• Export restrictions on dual-use goods and technology, luxury items, and goods for oil refining, as well as products like potash, wood, cement, iron, and steel.
• Import restrictions on diamonds and gold originating from Belarus.
• Financial restrictions, such as limited access to EU capital markets, a SWIFT ban for certain Belarusian banks, and prohibitions on selling euro-denominated securities to Belarusian clients.
• An arms embargo and a ban on Belarusian airlines from EU airspace and airports.
• A ban on Belarusian road transport operators within the EU.

The EU extended these sanctions on June 30, 2024, and harmonized them with those against Russia to prevent circumvention.

Belarus's Strategy and Lithuania's Stance

Minister Budrys indicated that Belarus's insistence on resolving border issues at the foreign ministry level is part of its broader strategy to break the EU's isolation policy. He also noted that recent actions by Minsk, such as launching weather balloons into Lithuanian territory, form part of this strategy. Budrys emphasized that Lithuania views these overtures as an attempt by Belarus to 'break' the EU's unified stance.

While Lithuania maintains communication channels with Minsk, its vision for European security architecture does not align with that of some other EU countries. Lithuania has consistently called for stronger EU sanctions against Belarus, particularly in response to what it perceives as hybrid attacks.

Upcoming Sanctions Review

The current EU sanctions against Belarus are scheduled for extension in February 2026. This upcoming review will be a critical juncture for the EU's policy towards Belarus, as Minsk continues its efforts to navigate out of its sanctioned status and international isolation.