Budrys in Brussels: Nothing is more expensive than cheap Russian oil
Today, on 16 March in Brussels, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kęstutis Budrys, is taking part in the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union.
Union's foreign affairs ministers will discuss support and possible EU security guarantees for Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and possible further EU actions to de-escalate it.
"Among them are sanctions against Iran and the Iranian shadow fleet, which is still operating in the waters around the world, as well as possible the application of additional mechanisms to prevent the circumvention of sanctions," Budrys told journalists ahead of the meeting.
The head of Lithuania's diplomacy warned that revising sanctions against Russia and Belarus in response to rising energy prices driven by the Middle East conflict would be a strategic mistake.
“Let us not deceive ourselves that in order to get cheaper oil, we can get something from Russia and still expect them to make concessions in Ukraine – this is either a strategic folly or myopia, I cannot say otherwise. There is nothing more expensive than cheap Russian oil, and we know what it means,” Budrys said.
According to the head of Lithuania's diplomacy, the EU will not allow other challenges to push the issue of Ukraine off the agenda until it is resolved in a lasting and peaceful manner. The Minister emphasized that all conversations with Russia are possible only from a position of power and with clear leverage in one's hands.
“Let’s agree on what our tools will be – let’s take those 200 billion frozen Russian assets in our hands and then let’s talk. Let's clearly state that will never negotiate on security guarantees for Ukraine, on Ukraine’s place in the European Union, on the principle of territorial integrity, and on sovereignty. Let us go with our list of demands on Russia – to withdraw its forces from neighbouring countries and stop threatening to use nuclear weapons," the head of Lithuania’s diplomacy noted.
For the Minister's arrival doorstep, please click here: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-286543
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