Lithuania moves to extend sanctions on Russian and Belarusian citizens until 2028

The Lithuanian parliament has signalled strong support for extending national sanctions against Russian and Belarusian citizens until 2028, with a final vote still pending, LRT reports.

On Tuesday, 102 MPs voted in favour of the extension, with four opposing and six abstaining. The current sanctions regime, renewed annually, is set to expire on 3 May, prompting lawmakers to act before the deadline.

Under the government’s proposal, existing restrictions would remain largely unchanged, with one new measure: a ban on transporting more than 200 litres of fuel from Russia or Belarus into Lithuania. Some conservative MPs argued for aligning this limit with Poland’s 600-litre allowance for fuel transported in canisters.

Debate also arose over calls to tighten sanctions further, including halting new residency permits for Belarusians—currently only applied to Russians—and restricting real estate purchases near strategic sites. However, under Lithuania’s Sanctions Law, only the government can initiate such changes; MPs lack the authority to impose additional measures directly.

The Foreign Affairs Committee has agreed to request the government evaluate proposals from MPs Mindaugas Lingė, Laurynas Kasčiūnas, and Valius Ąžuolas, which seek to expand restrictions. These could be incorporated into future amendments to the law on restrictive measures tied to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine.

Critics, including Valius Ąžuolas of the Valstiečių faction, labelled the sanctions “excessive” and economically harmful, arguing they create loopholes exploited by criminal schemes while neighbouring countries impose no such limits. Ąžuolas cited cases where Belarusian goods enter Lithuania via Poland without obstruction.

Lithuania’s restrictive measures, in place since 2023, aim to demonstrate support for Ukraine and curb the rights of Russian and Belarusian aggressor-state citizens. Key provisions include:

• Suspension of new national and Schengen visa issuance for Russians and Belarusians, except in cases mediated by the Foreign Ministry;
• Ban on residency permits for Russians unless they hold a valid visa or permit from another EU state;
• Enhanced security screening for arriving Russians and risk assessments for Belarusians;
• Denial of Lithuania’s e-residency status to both nationalities, except for existing legal residents;
• Prohibition on real estate purchases by Russians without residency permits;
• Bans on cash imports/exports in Ukrainian hryvnia and agricultural product imports from both countries.