Minister Budrys: A democratic Belarus is a strategic interest of European security

On 11 September, Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys participated in an international conference organized by the Institute of International Relations and Political Science (IIRPS) at Vilnius University entitled "Belarus and Belarusians in the time of geopolitical insecurities: global perceptions and domestic realities".

Speaking at the conference, which was also attended by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian democratic forces, the head of Lithuania's diplomacy emphasized the need to clearly distinguish between two different realities in Belarus: the repressive Lukashenko regime that has taken control of the state posing a major threat to European security, and the vision of a democratic Belarus embodied by the opposition forces.

"Lithuania's position is clear - we support a democratic Belarus where human rights are respected and protected, the rule of law prevails, and democratic reforms are implemented. Lithuania supports democratic Belarus's aspiration to become an integral part of a united Europe and considers this a strategic security interest," said the Minister.

According to Budrys, three decades of Lukashenko's rule have trapped Belarus between a ruthless dictatorship and the increasingly suffocating grip of Moscow. According to the Minister, Russia's growing control not only distances Belarus from Europe, but also poses escalating security threats to Europeans.

"This is unacceptable to us. Lithuania has always been and will remain one of the biggest supporters of Belarusian democratic forces - not only because we are closest neighbors and it is the right thing to do, but also because it is directly related to our regional and European security. Only a democratic Belarus, independent of Russia, will not pose a threat," Budrys said at the conference.

When speaking about Belarus' role in Russia's war against Ukraine, the minister stressed that Lukashenko's regime had become an active accomplice in the aggression, allowing its territory to be used for military operations, contributing to the deportation of Ukrainian children and the repression of war critics in Belarus.

"Sovereignty has essentially been lost - Belarus has been a front-line zone since 2021. Hybrid measures - disinformation, border provocations, the Zapad-2025 military exercises - are already being used against the EU neighbors, and responsibility for this also lies with Lukashenko's regime," said the Lithuanian Foreign Minister.

According to Budrys, all of this, especially the example of Zapad-2025, shows that Belarus is becoming a long-term part of Russia's military infrastructure, capable of contributing to future conflicts. Therefore, this is no longer just a national issue - it is a challenge to the security of the whole of Europe.