A new research article from Zuzana Krulichová called “Between the Belt and Road and the Indo-Pacific: Lithuania’s strategic reorientation” published in the Cambridge Review of International Affairs analyzes how Lithuania shifted its foreign policy towards China from initial participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to framing the initiative as a potential security threat, coupled with the adoption of a specific Indo-Pacific strategy.
Using an inductive analysis of government document and interviews, Zuzana Krulichová demonstrates how Lithuania exercised its agency by shifting from engagement with the BRI to alignment with like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific. The findings suggest that Lithuania’s case demonstrates how small states can adapt foreign policy through pragmatic risk management and values-based positioning.