Lithuania to back toughest sanctions on Russia, to try to convince sceptics – Nauseda

VILNIUS – Lithuania will support the toughest sanctions against Russia and will make every effort to convince sceptics, President Gitanas Nauseda said on Tuesday. 

"We are in favor of tough sanctions, and Lithuania will always be among those countries that will propose the most consistent, toughest sanctions, and we will make every effort to convince those states that are doubtful or skeptical," he told reporters as he visited the Constitutional Court in Vilnius.

The president declined to comment in more detail about what Lithuanian proposals might be included in the EU's sixth package of sanctions against Russia.

"If I comment on this issue, the main purpose of my visit, the issues of the Constitutional Court, will not be sufficiently covered," he said. 

Some foreign media have reported that the European Commission will propose phasing out Russian oil imports by the end of the year and excluding Sberbank, the country's largest bank, from the international payment system SWIFT as part of the fresh round of sanctions.