Before the EU finance meeting in Brussels, he warned that tougher enforcement and fresh measures could disrupt Russia’s energy revenues.
The European Union must strengthen sanctions against Russia and ensure their strict enforcement.
Lithuanian Finance Minister Kristupas Vaitekūnas said ahead of the EU’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.
The €90 billion loan for Ukraine has been secured. We have finally reached an agreement, and we must be grateful to the wonderful people of Hungary who made this decision possible. This was the final step required to make the funds available to Ukraine
– Kristupas Vaitekūnas
He stressed that the EU should now focus on intensifying pressure on the Russian economy.
Outlook for sanctions policy and the EU’s response
We see cracks in their economy. We must strengthen the sanctions regime, ensure that the sanctions are implemented without loopholes, and we must talk about new sanctions
– Kristupas Vaitekūnas
Vaitekūnas also noted that the EU should return to the issue of the reparations loan, bring it back onto the agenda, and find a mechanism for its implementation.
The aggressor must pay
– Kristupas Vaitekūnas
According to the official briefing by Vladyslav Vlasyuk, the President’s envoy on sanctions policy, Russia lost about 1.8 million tons of oil exports in a month due to sanctions pressure and damage to key ports on the Baltic, but is trying to compensate for this through other directions.
In this context, experts note that maintaining and increasing pressure within the framework of the new sanctions could affect Russia’s economic plans and alter dynamics in the energy market, underscoring the importance of coordination among EU member states in shaping further steps.