Lithuania considers anti Russia sanctions after Ukraine violence

  • 2014-07-29
  • From wire reports, VILNIUS

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius (left) with Russian FM Sergei Lavrov last year

Lithuania is drafting anti-Russian sanctions that may be imposed depending on the events in Ukraine, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said on Tuesday.

If the introduction of EU anti-Russian sanctions stalled, Lithuania was ready to adopt sanctions at the national level, he said.

However, an overall EU demarche would be more effective and important as a voice of Europe, Linkevicius added.

The Minister only roughly outlined the sanctions on the table in Vilnius, including the ban on entry for Russian citizens who support Russia’s policy in Ukraine, ITAR-TASS reports.

Last week, Lithuania President Dalia Grybauskaite voiced the possibility of national sanctions. The issue was being scrutinized in the Foreign Ministry, she said.

The youth wing of the parliamentary party Homeland Union Christian Democrats has already prepared a draft black list. It wants a “music war” on Russia and has requested president, prime minister, the parliament’s speaker and foreign minister to follow Latvia’s example and include Russian pop singers involved in propaganda to the non grata list.