Lithuanian ForMin proposes terminating trade promotion pacts with Russia, Belarus

  • 2024-02-20
  • BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS – Lithuania's Foreign Ministry has proposed that the country's government should terminate the existing trade and economic cooperation agreements signed with Russia and Belarus two decades ago.

The ministry has already drafted and made public the related draft resolutions.

According to the ministry, the agreements should be denounced in view of Russia and Belarus' ongoing military aggression against Ukraine and the fact that cooperation with them has been completely suspended and is impossible. 

"Following the adoption of the draft resolutions on denunciation, the governments of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus will be notified through diplomatic channels of the decision to terminate the agreements," the ministry said.

The ministry does not expect any negative consequences from Lithuania's unilateral termination of the agreements. 

The agreement with Belarus was signed in December 1994 and the agreement with Russia was signed in November 1993 in Vilnius. Bilateral commissions were also set up, however, they have not held meetings since 2011 in Russia's case and since 2015 in Belarus' case.