Lithuania will not cancel flights to Russia and Belarus despite pressure

Lithuania's government has confirmed it will maintain direct air connections to Russia and Belarus despite growing calls to suspend flights as a solidarity measure with Ukraine. Lithuanian officials explained that direct international flights are subject to international aviation agreements and that unilateral cancellation would require complex legal steps.

Arguments for maintaining flights

Lithuanian authorities noted that some direct flights serve specific humanitarian or consular purposes, including facilitating the travel of Lithuanian citizens or stateless persons from these countries. They also argued that blanket flight cancellations could harm Lithuania's international legal standing under aviation treaties without producing meaningful security benefits.

However, critics counter that maintaining any commercial air links to Russia and Belarus, even limited ones, sends a contradictory signal given Lithuania's vocal support for Ukraine and its role as one of the most assertive advocates for Ukrainian independence within the EU and NATO. Several Baltic and Nordic nations suspended or significantly reduced flights to Russia following the 2022 invasion.

Baltic solidarity with Ukraine

Lithuania has been among the most vocal EU member states in supporting Ukraine, providing weapons, humanitarian aid, and political backing. The decision on flights has therefore drawn criticism from those who see it as inconsistent with the country's broader foreign policy stance.