Lithuania. From another (failed) attempt at rapprochement with the regime to the pacesetter of EU’s sanctions policy
ENLithuania’s reaction to the crisis in Belarus could be described as comparatively fast and comprehensive. Policy measures focused on setting pace in the EU in offering to mediate among the authorities and opposition in Belarus, proposing closer relations between sovereign Belarus and the EU, and when these efforts failed – turning to the introduction of targeted sanctions, often in coordination with neighbouring countries as well as providing support – funding, political backing, asylum, platform for resistance – to the opposition activists in and from Belarus. Thus, Lithuania’s official policy towards Belarus has made yet another U-turn from recent rapprochement efforts to the most active champion of sanctions towards Belarus authorities. Keywords: Lithuania; Belarus; regime; sanctions; European Union.
