Budrys: the decision on the 20th package of EU sanctions is belated and insufficientActivities of the Minister of Foreign AffairsEuropean UnionNews of the Ministry

On 23 April, the Council of the European Union adopted the 20th package of economic and individual sanctions against Russia.

"While Russia bombards Ukrainian civilians on a daily basis, as well as electricity grids, water supply, and other vital infrastructure, the decision to adopt the European Union's 20th package of sanctions is belated and insufficient. Only very stern and comprehensive sanctions will force Vladimir Putin to cease fire and take the negotiations seriously. The European Union should take a long-awaited step as soon as possible: a complete ban on maritime services to Russia, sanctions against Lukoil, other Russian oil and gas giants, and Rosatom. It is time to stop talking about exceptions and take real action where sanctions can hit Russia the hardest," says Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys.

Today's package further strengthens measures against the Russian shadow fleet, strengthens the conditions for the sale of tankers to third-country operators, strengthens the verification of operators, and introduces a mandatory clause in sales contracts under which tankers may not be sold or transferred to any Russian natural or legal person, entity, or body, or used in Russia. The Council's decision extended sanctions on the Russian financial sector. A transaction ban has been imposed on an additional 20 Russian banks, and restrictive measures on alternative funding channels have been extended.

With the new sanctions package, the Council has also extended restrictions on the Russian energy sector. There are new restrictions on Russian icebreakers, which ensure the export of Russian oil and gas from the northernmost part of Russia. In addition, the provision of services to Russian-owned liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers sailing under the Russian flag
has been restricted, and a prohibition on providing LNG terminal services to Russian entities, including those owned or controlled by those entities, has been introduced.

The new sanctions package includes individual restrictive measures on a further 117 individuals and entities responsible for actions undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence. Accordingly, individual restrictive measures have been imposed on subsidiaries of Russian companies Gazprom and Slavneft, as well as Russian refineries, entities belonging to the Russian military complex, and persons involved in the re-education of Ukrainian children.

The Council today also adopted new sanctions on Belarus, aligned with the restrictions imposed on Russia under the 20th sanctions package. In addition, individual restrictive measures were imposed against three legal entities, one of which is BelOil, the main Belarusian oil export company. Also included is the Chinese-Belarusian joint venture Volat-Sanjiang, which produces military equipment, and its founder in China, the China Space Sanjiang Group.