Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
He demands border restrictions to be lifted, if the trucks are to be released.
A growing diplomatic clash between Belarus and NATO member Lithuania has left more than a thousand Lithuanian trucks stranded on Belarusian territory.
Now, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is threatening to confiscate them unless Lithuania reopens its closed border, Latvian newspaper Latvijas Avīze reports.
Border shutdown tensions
Lithuania sealed its frontier with Belarus on October 29, citing rising security concerns.
Authorities in Vilnius reported a surge in smuggling attempts using balloons from Belarus and disruptions at Vilnius Airport.
The closure, which runs until November 30, allows limited exceptions for specific categories of travelers.
In response, Minsk imposed its own restrictions. Last week, Lukashenko signed a decree banning vehicles registered in Lithuania and Poland from passing through Belarus until December 31, 2027.
Belarusian officials also rejected Lithuania’s proposal to create a temporary corridor for stranded truckers, insisting that Vilnius must fully reopen the border.
Threats of confiscation
Speaking on Monday, Lukashenko said that between 1,100 and 1,200 Lithuanian trucks were currently immobilized in Belarus.
He warned that his government could seize the vehicles if Lithuania does not lift its border restrictions soon.
“The trucks have been moved to paid parking lots,” Lukashenko said. “They can’t just be parked on the roads — 1,100 or 1,200 large trucks.”
Drivers caught in the impasse are becoming increasingly frustrated. A representative from the Lithuanian National Road Transport Association told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that many drivers are “tired and angry,” and that perishable goods among the cargo could be at risk of spoiling.
Expanding political front
Lukashenko also said Belarus intends to raise the border issue in upcoming talks with Washington. The latest tensions follow a brief thaw in Belarus–U.S. relations earlier this year.
In August, Lukashenko held a phone call with then U.S. President Donald Trump, followed by a September agreement in which Belarus pardoned 52 political prisoners in exchange for eased sanctions on the national airline, Belavia.
Most recently, Trump announced the nomination of lawyer John Cole, who led U.S. negotiations with Minsk, as his special envoy for Belarus.
Diplomatic uncertainty
With the border still sealed and hundreds of drivers stranded, both sides appear unwilling to compromise.
For now, the Lithuanian trucks remain parked under Belarusian control, as political maneuvering continues to overshadow practical solutions.
Sources: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Reuters, AP, Latvijas Avīze
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation
