The EU will present an offer to the Baltic states in an effort to find a common position in the ongoing dispute over Belarusian nuclear energy imports, according to Latvian Present Egils Levits.
Lithuania is calling on the Baltic states to join its boycott of Belarusian electricity imports once the nuclear plant becomes operational later this year. However, Riga has so far refused to join the ban, saying trade with Belarus is needed until the Baltics switch away from the Moscow-control power grid that also includes Belarus.
Previously, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda called for an active involvement of Brussels in the dispute with Minsk, as well as the disagreements with Latvia. Nausėda didn’t attend the yearly meeting of the Baltic leaders over the issue.
Read more: Estonia criticises Lithuania's position on Belarus nuclear imports – 'worst time to show our differences'
Speaking to the Latvian public broadcaster last week, Latvian President Egils Levits said the country’s government has no reasons “to completely reject the purchase” of electricity from Belarus.
According to Levits, the European Commission will be an important mediator in the negotiations between the Baltic states to find a common position on the purchase of Astravyets electricity.
He added that Latvia and Estonia have already accepted the EU institution’s proposals.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, meanwhile, sent a letter last week to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, aiming to point out the security and health risks posed by the Astravyets NPP to the Lithuanians, as well as people in the entire Baltic region and the EU.
Vilnius says the facility under construction by Russia's Rosatom some 50 kilometres from the Lithuanian capital is unsafe, and a tool for the Kremlin to apply pressure on the Baltic states and Belarus. Minsk rejects all criticism.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
