Lithuania’s Foreign Vice-Minister Šatūnas: “Effective implementation of sanctions requires not only legal measures but also a moral compass”
On 22 July in Brussels, Lithuania’s Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Simonas Šatūnas, attended the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council.
“Effective implementation of sanctions and prevention of circumvention of sanctions requires legal measures in the new packages of sanctions against Russia and a moral compass. Companies of exporting EU countries, not Lithuanian or other countries’ state institutions and customs authorities, must ensure that sanctions are not circumvented,” Šatūnas said during the discussion on the Russian aggression.
The Foreign Affairs Council discussed supporting Ukraine, using windfall profits stemming from immobilised Russian assets, and further implementing Ukraine’s peace formula.
“The guidelines for support to Ukraine proposed by the President of the European Commission should become a European strategy for Ukraine’s victory. It should accelerate some much-needed decisions on support to Ukraine,” Šatūnas noted.
The Foreign Affairs Council also approved the conclusions on opening up a visa liberalisation dialogue with Armenia and adopting assistance measures under the European Peace Facility to support Armenia.
The Foreign Affairs Council also discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza, possibilities for supporting the Palestinian Authority, and the ongoing preparations for a possible meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council.
In addition, EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs had an informal exchange of views with the President of the European Investment Bank, Nadia Calviño.
Ministers discussed the EIB’s support to Ukraine and the Middle East region and its contribution to strengthening European security and defence by facilitating as much as possible the financing of projects in the European defence industry and the acquisition of armaments.
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