Lithuania opposes resuming EU–Russia dialogue amid ongoing war

Lithuania has reaffirmed its opposition to resuming dialogue between the European Union and Russia, arguing that the conditions agreed by EU member states for restarting contacts have not been met.

Lithuanian Ambassador to the EU Nerijus Aleksejūnas said that after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU collectively agreed on clear conditions under which political contacts with Russia could resume. According to him, there is currently no indication that Russia has taken steps to fulfill those requirements, Caliber.Az reports via Lithuanian media. 

He stressed that the policy was adopted unanimously and that any change would also require unanimous agreement among EU member states.

His comments come amid growing debate within the EU over whether and when engagement with Moscow should restart. European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said the EU would eventually need to enter negotiations with Russia, but emphasised that the bloc has not yet reached the point where such talks are possible.

Calls for renewed dialogue have recently emerged from several European leaders. In December, French President Emmanuel Macron said it could be useful for Europe to resume talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, shortly after EU countries agreed to provide €90 billion in support for Ukraine. More recently, on January 10, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she believed the time had come for Europe to begin negotiations with Russia.

By Sabina Mammadli