Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis: Germany’s decision to stop importing oil from Russia is a very significant step towards the EU’s immediate agreement on a new ambitious, comprehensive package of sanctions against Russia
On 20 April in Riga, Latvia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis participated in a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Baltic states and Germany in Riga, Latvia, together with the Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs, the Estonian Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets, and the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
The meeting focused on the security situation in the region and the coordinated European support to Ukraine in the fight against Russia's military aggression. The Foreign Ministers unanimously agreed on the need to continue the military, humanitarian, financial and political support to Ukraine, which was bravely fighting for European values and security, as well as to spare no effort to hold the perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine to account.
Landsbergis stressed that Ukraine must have all means for self-defence. It is especially important to provide Ukraine with the necessary military equipment expeditiously.
According to Lithuania's Foreign Minister, Germany’s decision announced by Baerbock to stop importing oil from Russia is a very significant step towards limiting the financing of Russia's war in Ukraine and towards the EU’s immediate agreement on a new ambitious, comprehensive package of sanctions against Russia. An EU embargo on Russian oil and gas, a ban on the remaining Russian and Belarusian banks, and on Russian propaganda channels will be part of the next sanctions package.
“Russia must be politically and diplomatically isolated at all international fora, including financial institutions,” the Foreign Minister said.
Lithuania's Foreign Minister also stressed that the next NATO Summit in Madrid should reflect the radically changed European security environment and current threats. “NATO must be fully prepared to defend the Baltic states from the very first minutes of the conflict,” Landsbergis noted.
The Foreign Ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Germany also issued a statement, strongly condemning Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, and welcoming the International Criminal Court's ongoing investigation into alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
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