Lithuania revises proposal to restrict Russian and Belarusian nationals

Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry has registered revised amendments to a law on national sanctions, proposing restrictions on Russian and Belarusian nationals who support Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. LRT reported that the changes include an exception for people who clearly opposed the aggression, occupation or annexation and whose actions did not objectively serve the interests of the occupying authorities.

The proposal, first submitted in July, would bar Russian and Belarusian individuals, legal entities and organisation representatives from coming to Lithuania to take part in public activities in education, science, higher education, culture, sport, the arts and entertainment if they had carried out such activities in Ukrainian territories annexed or temporarily occupied by Russia, directly or indirectly supported the war against Ukraine, or taken part in it.

The amendments would also allow Lithuania to refuse entry to people who act against Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, independence, stability or security; support serious human rights violations or repression of civil society and democratic forces in Russia or Belarus; or whose activities threaten democracy or the rule of law.

Those seeking to carry out the specified activities in Lithuania would have to sign a publicly available declaration condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Refusal to sign would prevent them from working in the country. If none of the grounds for restrictions applied, Russian and Belarusian representatives could participate only as neutral individuals, not as representatives of their countries.

The ministry also proposes restricting some Russian and Belarusian citizens’ ability to buy property near objects important to national security or near military training grounds. Russian and Belarusian citizens with Lithuanian residence permits would be affected, while Belarusian citizens without such permits and legal entities belonging to them would also be barred from buying property in those areas. The restrictions would not apply when ownership is acquired through inheritance. Russian citizens already face restrictions on buying property in Lithuania.

The amendments are proposed to take effect on January 1, 2027. Existing public activity contracts would have to be reviewed and updated by February 28, 2027. Lithuania’s Law on Restrictive Measures has been in force since 2023; the country has previously made individual decisions to bar artists who supported Vladimir Putin’s regime or performed in Russia or Crimea.