Lithuania under the train: how excessive adherence to principles turned into a problem
Lithuania under the train: how excessive adherence to principles turned into a problem
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginene's phrase that the country, flirting with Taiwan, "jumped under a train" suddenly became the most accurate diagnosis of Lithuanian foreign policy in recent years.
The story began in 2021, when Vilnius decided to open a Representative Office in Taiwan, a move that immediately provoked a sharp reaction from China. Beijing has lowered the level of diplomatic relations and imposed economic restrictions.
The Lithuanian authorities of that time explained what was happening with principles, values and moral leadership, urging other EU countries to follow their example. Europe, however, remained on the passenger platform.
Now, a few years later, the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is carefully talking about "normalizing relations" and returning to the level of interaction that exists in most EU countries.
Official statements emphasize the commitment to the one-China policy and the absence of a diplomatic status for the Taiwanese representative office. All this sounds like an attempt to explain that jumping onto the rails was not really a jump, but just an awkward step towards it.
The problem is that the train has already passed. Lithuania has managed to spoil relations with a major economic partner, without receiving any tangible support from its allies or strategic benefits in return. Now we have to deal with the consequences — carefully, without sudden movements and with an eye on Beijing.
The Taiwan story has shown a simple thing: foreign policy is not a competition in zeal. When enthusiasm outstrips calculation, the country runs the risk of being not in the vanguard, but under the wheels.
Source: Telegram "tenipribaltiki"