Paluckas, Social Democrats’ candidate for the next prime minister, said on Monday Vilnius should improve its contacts with Beijing. This could cost Vilnius good relations with the US, Landsbergis warns.
"One thing to bear in mind is that the China-US relationship is what we call a zero-sum game in English. In other words, subtracting from one adds to the other, and vice versa. We cannot expect to have more doors open and a more positive relationship with the US, while pleasing China. Improvements in one place result in deterioration in others," Landsbergis told reporters at the Government on Wednesday.
The foreign minister also recalled that it was Beijing’s decision to downgrade diplomatic ties with Lithuania.
Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė told ELTA later on Wednesday it is not wise to speak about the need to improve relations with China. If Paluckas had any interest in foreign policy, she said, he would know that Lithuania’s efforts to develop relations with Indo-Pacific countries are appreciated by both US Democrats and Republicans.