Lithuania is preparing legal amendments that would allow it to impose national economic sanctions on Russia and Belarus if the European Union fails to extend its own restrictions.
The proposed changes, seen by BNS, would supplement the draft Law on Restrictive Measures in Response to Military Aggression Against Ukraine, which is currently under consideration in the Seimas, Lithuania’s parliament. The legislation already includes provisions to extend existing sanctions until May 2026.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs drafted the proposal, but it is expected to be introduced through a member of parliament or a group of lawmakers, as the bill is nearing its final vote in the Seimas.
The goal is to establish a domestic mechanism for economic sanctions targeting Russia and Belarus in case the EU is unable to maintain its collective measures. The proposal describes such national sanctions as an “extreme measure”.
EU sanctions on the Kremlin are set to expire at the end of July. However, recent EU efforts to extend the measures have faced opposition from Hungary, raising concerns that similar resistance could jeopardise future extensions.
“Although the European Union remains committed to increasing pressure on Russia, including through additional sanctions, the failure to extend EU sanctions may result from systematic obstruction by certain member states acting against the collective security interests of Europe,” the proposal states.
As a result, it argues, Lithuania should have the legal authority to impose financial and economic restrictions on Russian and Belarusian individuals and legal entities that support the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine or undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and security.
Under the proposed amendments, the Lithuanian government would determine the list of individuals, entities, and organisations subject to asset freezes and other economic measures.
Lithuania first imposed national sanctions on Russian and Belarusian citizens in 2023. These measures were renewed and extended later that year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ support for the war.
The national sanctions primarily target individuals but have also led to debate in parliament over restrictions on importing agricultural products from Russia and Belarus.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the EU has imposed 16 rounds of sanctions targeting individuals, key sectors of the Russian economy, and Kremlin-linked companies.
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