Vilnius seeks to prolong national sanctions against Russians and Belarusians

Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has proposed extending the country’s national sanctions against citizens of Russia and Belarus until the end of 2027, per Lithuanian media.

In a statement, the ministry said: “We propose to extend the restrictions not for one year, but until December 31, 2027, as this does not contradict the principle of proportionality of measures and takes into account the fact that the restrictive measures are temporary and may be reviewed.”

Under the current framework, if no changes are made, Lithuania’s national sanctions are due to expire on May 2, 2026.

The sanctions include the suspension of the review of applications from Russian and Belarusian citizens for temporary residence permits (TRPs). Russian nationals who are permitted to enter Lithuania in exceptional cases are barred from purchasing real estate in the country, importing cash Ukrainian hryvnia, and applying for electronic resident status. In addition, the temporary residence permits of individuals who travel to Russia or Belarus more than once within a three-month calendar period are automatically revoked.

With limited exceptions, Russian citizens entering Lithuania are subject to an individual, detailed screening to assess any potential threat their arrival may pose to national security, public order, public policy, internal security, public health, or international relations. A similar risk assessment is applied to Belarusian citizens.

Applications for Lithuanian e-resident status from Russian and Belarusian citizens are no longer accepted, except in cases where the applicants hold a temporary or permanent residence permit in Lithuania.

The legislation also prohibits Russian citizens without a Lithuanian residence permit from purchasing real estate. In addition, citizens of both Russia and Belarus are banned from importing and exporting cash Ukrainian hryvnia, as well as from importing agricultural products and animal feed originating in either country.

The rules further stipulate that Russian citizens will lose their temporary residence permits in Lithuania if they travel to Russia or Belarus more than once in the previous three calendar months. Exceptions apply only to transport operators and individuals travelling for objective reasons beyond their control.

Lithuania’s national sanctions regime was first introduced in 2023 and has since been extended several times. The Foreign Ministry emphasised that it is not proposing the introduction of new sanctions as part of the extension. “The current measures are optimal and agreed upon,” the ministry said.

By Tamilla Hasanova