Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has called on the international community to intensify sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation. According to him, all Russian banks that have not yet been subjected to restrictions should be disconnected from the SWIFT system. In addition, he emphasized the need to expand sanctions against energy companies that contribute to filling the Russian budget, including Nord Stream, Rosatom, Gazprom, and Lukoil.
This is reported by Бізнес • Медіа
Proposals for Strengthening Sanctions
Nausėda highlighted the relevance of approving the 18th sanctions package, which he believes should be the most extensive to date. He noted that the insufficient strictness of the restrictions allows the Kremlin to find ways to circumvent them, enabling the Russian economy to continue functioning. The President of Lithuania specifically drew attention to Russia’s shadow fleet—over 1,100 vessels, of which only 350 are currently subject to sanctions. He proposed expanding the list of restricted vessels to include the entire fleet.
“Otherwise, they will consider us weak and believe that Europe is not ready to make bold decisions,” Nausėda emphasized.
Strengthening European Solidarity
Gitanas Nausėda also stated the need for European countries to unite their efforts in countering the Kremlin threat. In his opinion, only a consolidated position will effectively counter Russia’s actions. The President of Lithuania urged NATO members to actively strengthen the Alliance’s “unified power,” emphasizing the importance of collective security and support.