Lithuanian formin regrets Rosatom not included in EU’s latest package of Russia sanctions

VILNIUS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis has described the European Union’s latest sanctions against Russia as a yet another “small and delayed step” and has expressed regret that the new package does not include Russia's state-owned energy corporation Rosatom.

He also says that he sometimes notices the desire of some partners to negotiate exemptions instead of introducing new restrictions.

“It’s a yet another small and delayed step, but nonetheless a step in the right direction. Lithuania’s diplomats strongly contributed to the preparation of specific sanction proposals and packages of evidence,” Landsbergis said in comments sent to BNS.

“It is regrettable, however, that Rosatom has not been sanctioned at this stage and our partners often negotiate on exemptions or transitional periods instead of supplementing existing sanctions or introducing new ones,” the Lithuanian top diplomat added.

The European Union on Saturday adopted its new sanctions over Russia’s war in Ukraine, targeting 121 individuals and entities, including Iranian drone manufacturers.

As part of the sanction package, an export ban on industrial goods to Russia was expanded to include dual-use items like electronics, specialized vehicles, machine parts, spare parts for trucks and jet engines, antennae, cranes, drones, rare earth materials, electronic circuits and thermal cameras.

Trade in those goods, which battlefield evidence suggests Moscow is using for its war, amount to more than 11 billion euros, according to EU officials.

The latest EU sanctions target an additional 96 Russian entities – meaning businesses or state agencies – including another three Russian banks, according to an EU statement.

Sanctions on Russia's propaganda outlets were stepped up, with moves to suspend the broadcasting licenses of the Arabic outlets of state-controlled media groups RT and Sputnik, which are already banned in Europe.

The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that some of Lithuania’s proposals had been taken into account when negotiating the tenth package of sanctions.

Brussels’ officials initially hoped to announce the new restrictions to mark the first anniversary of the war unleashed by Russia in Ukraine, but negotiations got stalled over Poland's objections, as Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki described the latest proposed EU sanctions against Russia as "too soft, too weak".