Lithuanian President Nauseda asserts EU must stop importing gas from Russia

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Wednesday, June 1, asserted that the European Union must not accept Russian gas. In his remarks after the meeting of the European Council on Tuesday, 31 May, Nauseda stated that they must stop importing Russian gas by implementing embargoes and adopting steps to halt the dependence on the energy resources of the Kremlin, Delfi reported. He stated that they must continue to work in terms of giving up the energy resources of Russia. 

In his remarks after the meeting, Lithuanian President Nauseda stressed that they need to continue imposing sanctions on Russia, which he insisted, could be able to generate a "certain result." He underscored that the embargoes must be imposed so that Russia, including its oligarchs, feel the impact of the same. He further highlighted the need to take measures to prevent the global food crisis due to Russia's blockade of the export of Ukrainian grain, according to the Delfi report. Earlier in April, the Lithuanian President announced the suspension of Russian gas imports and even called on other EU countries to end the use of Russian gas. Nauseda called unblocking of Odesa port a "priority" and suggested a land route from Ukraine through Poland to Lithuania and through the seaports of Romania and Bulgaria. He said that Russia is "trying to push through" the narrative that the food crisis could arise due to EU sanctions and not the war in Ukraine.

Lithuania President calls for an increase in defence funding 

In his address to the EU leaders at the special meeting of the European Council in Brussels, the Lithuanian President underscored that energy independence from Russia must be a "long-term strategic objective" for the European Union. He stressed that EU nations can abandon Russian energy resources by using renewable energy, removing infrastructure and internal market bottlenecks and ramping up the work for synchronization of the Baltic States’ electricity systems with the continental European grid, according to the statement released by the office of the Lithuanian President. Furthermore, Nauseda also called for an increase in defence funding and emphasized that the transatlantic bond is an integral part of the EU’s security. He called on European Union to increase funding for military mobility projects, simplify the defence procurement procedure and increase access for companies to the European Defence Fund. Meanwhile, EU Council President Charles Michel in a tweet announced that EU agreed to sixth package of sanctions and that it would immediately hit 75% of Russian oil imports and by the end of the year, it would impact 90% of oil supplies imported from Moscow. 

Image: AP