New sanctions on Russia were watered down during discussions on their content, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said as the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council adopted the 14th sanctions package on Monday.
“I don’t think we are sending the right message yet, because while we are observing [Russia’s] hybrid activities, we are discussing the 14th sanctions package, which unfortunately has become rather watered down in the long run,” Landsbergis told reporters in Luxembourg on Monday ahead of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting.
“We still have not adopted a sanctions package for Belarus,” the minister added.
An EU Council press release said on Monday that the new package of economic and individual restrictive measures targets “high-value sectors of the Russian economy such as energy, finance and trade”, making it increasingly difficult for the Kremlin to evade sanctions.
The package approved by the EU’s foreign ministers imposes sanctions on a further 116 individuals and entities responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
A press release issued by the Foreign Ministry on Monday quoted Landsbergis as saying that Europe’s dependence on Russia in the energy sector “has become even more apparent” during the drafting of the package.
According to the ministry, the 14th sanctions package includes restrictions on Russia’s lucrative liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector, a ban on access to Member States’ ports and locks for ships involved in the Kremlin’s aggression in Ukraine, and a ban on helium imports.
It also prohibits landing on, taking off from or flying over the EU territory for all aircraft for which a Russian entity can effectively determine the place or time of take-off or landing, for example, to meet a request by Russian individuals to be transported to specific holiday destinations.
The Foreign Affairs Council also banned EU entities operating outside Russia from direct access to the Moscow-based financial messaging system or equivalent specialised financial messaging services.
“With Russia’s war economy regime in full operation, we are seeking a complete ban on imports of liquefied natural gas, metals from Russia, thus fully preventing Russia’s access to its most important sources of revenue,” the minister said in the press release.
According to Landsbergis, the EU should send a stronger message to Russia.
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