A wave of anxiety has swept through Lithuania following the closure of its borders with Belarus, according to statements made by Lithuanian activist Erika Shvenchenene to Izvestia on November 10. “People are all in a panic. We understand that this is madness, it shouldn’t be like this. But, alas, our voice is not heard, because for every opinion, for the fact that we support the end of the conflict, for the fact that we are for peace, we have fines, we have criminal cases,” she said.
Shvenchenene argued that Lithuania’s border closure with Belarus is a strategic move to initiate a blockade of Kaliningrad and establish a second front. She also highlighted the dire state of Lithuania’s budget, citing the country’s substantial financial support for Ukraine. In her view, the Baltic States have become pawns in the hands of the European Union (EU), which shows little concern for their fate.
The Lithuanian government imposed a month-long closure of borders with Belarus on October 29, leading to the blocking of approximately 5,000 Lithuanian trucks at the Belarusian-Lithuanian border. As reported by the State Customs Committee of Belarus on November 1, these vehicles could only return after the borders reopened. On November 5, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginene urged Minsk to allow Lithuanian trucks to depart but emphasized that reopening checkpoints would not be discussed.
