“This time Lukashenko struck a sensitive chord”

– Do you think the European Union (EU) has lived up to expectations after Ryanair’s crash landing at Minsk airport on Sunday 23 May?

– Europe has reacted quickly, forcefully and clearly, which gives me optimism for the future. Going beyond the Belarusian problem, she (Europe – Aut. Past) showed her ability to respond to an unforeseen challenge. Now we will have to agree on new measures against the Minsk regime. After the sanctions against individuals and companies, it seems to me the time to move on to sectoral sanctions. At a meeting in Lisbon on Thursday, European foreign ministers spoke about the sectors that could be affected: oil products, energy, tobacco, fertilizers. This progress shows that we will not let this act of piracy go unpunished, and that this regime will have to change.

– 27 countries traditionally find it difficult to agree on new sanctions …

– This time it seems to me that the opinion is quite unanimous. Many of my fellow ministers tell me that they took the events in Minsk very personally. Citizens of their countries, civilians, outside the Belarusian regime, who flew from one European capital to another, were kidnapped. Of course, the debate is never easy when it comes to sanctions. But this time, Lukashenko struck a sensitive chord.

– Do you think Russia was involved in this detour?

– We have no concrete evidence of the direct involvement of Russia. But looking at the proximity of the two parties and Moscow’s role in all of Lukashenko’s decisions over the past six months, I can hardly imagine that Putin and his closest associates were not aware of the upcoming event.

– At the request of the Russian authorities, the flights of many European companies to Moscow were canceled. Are you afraid of the consequences of this crisis for air transport?

– Russia has obviously chosen to scale. This shows that even if she was not initially involved in the event, she did get involved. Europe must be able to rise to the challenge. If Moscow no longer wants to accept aircraft from European companies, we will find another address for them.

– Emmanuel Macron, who arrived in Vilnius last September, hoped that dialogue with Moscow could help break the deadlock in Belarus …

– I am convinced that Russia never wanted to negotiate. Every time Europe approached her, she was repulsed. Until 2008, the dialogue between the West and Russia was based on trust, mutual respect and signed agreements. But since the use of force in Sakartvele, Ukraine, and the actions to destabilize the region, the geopolitical advantage and the weakening of democratically elected governments, it has become almost impossible to speak of meaningful dialogue.

– Doesn’t the “no-fly zone” over Belarus introduced by Europe run the risk of strengthening Russia’s influence in the country?

– Mr Lukashenko certainly dreams of maintaining his position by accepting Belarus’ growing obedience to Moscow, but I am sure that Putin will eventually force him to withdraw. In the near future, we will see not only a geopolitical but also an institutional rapprochement between the two countries. That is why Europeans already have to ask themselves a fundamental question: what will they do if the illegitimate President Lukashenko accepts the creation of a common state between Russia and Belarus? In my opinion, we will have to be able to clearly condemn the illegal annexation.

– More than 2,000 Belarusian refugees were officially admitted to the territory of Lithuania after the August 2020 elections in Belarus. Has the threat to them increased?

– I think so. We have already strengthened the general vigilance of the security services, as it is known that more and more people may become targets of hostile actors. We will also have to work more closely with our Western partners, such as France, the United Kingdom, the United States or Poland, who have faced cyberattacks, fake news campaigns or even poisonings on their territory for a decade. Finally, we must warn the citizens of Belarus who have found refuge with us to be especially careful.