Lithuania puts pressure on EU with import ban on Russian natural gas
Lithuania has become the first European nation to stop importing Russian natural gas to meet its domestic consumption needs.
All natural gas will instead be imported via its liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Klaipeda, the country’s energy ministry announced yesterday.
This was confirmed in social media postings from Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, revealing on Twitter the country was breaking “energy ties with the aggressor”.
He said: “From this month on – no more Russian gas in Lithuania. If we can do it, the rest of Europe can do it too.”
The developments are not completely surprising, with the country previously revealing it would not allow any further Russian LNG imports.
Lithuania has also raised red flags over Europe’s dependence on Russian energy for many years, pre-dating the current crisis in Ukraine,
The Klaipeda LNG terminal – called Independence – was inaugurated in 2014 to end a Russian gas supply monopoly which then-president Dalia Grybauskaite called an “existential threat” to the country.
The moves could put further pressure on the European Union (EU) to ramp up sanctions on Russia.
The UK has already announced plans to phase out Russian oil over the course of the year, while the US banned all Russian fossil fuel imports last month.
However, the EU is currently split on imposing restrictions targeting Russia’s energy sector – with the bloc reliant on the country for around 40 per cent of natural gas supplies
Austria and Germany have both enacted emergency gas measures over supply concerns, but have so far also ruled out the prospect of penalties targeting Russian fossil fuels.
The move follows demands from Russian President Vladimir Putin for overseas buyers to pay for its gas in roubles, or face having their supplies cut.
Putin confirmed the plans last week, signing the requirement into law, in retaliation to Western sanctions imposed on the country;s financial institutions and central bank.
The demands have been rejected by the G7 and EU member states, with Germany describing the orders as “blackmail.”
However, the European Commission said on Friday that those with contracts requiring payment in euros or dollars should stick to that.
A European Commission spokesperson said: “Agreed contracts must be respected. 97 per cent of the relevant contracts explicitly stipulate payment in euros or dollars. Companies with such contracts should not accede to Russian demands.”