Germany, Lithuania demand punishment for evasion of sanctions

BRUSSELS – Germany and Lithuania want to send a message that violating EU sanctions comes with consequences, as debates surrounding a new round of punitive measures on several countries and companies continue on Monday in Brussels. 

“There must be no evasion of sanctions,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said, stressing that “even if individual companies export weapons-grade material, this must have consequences.”

Sanctions come with a high cost for the European Union, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said.

“Therefore seeing that our sanctions are ineffective and we’re still paying the price doesn’t make sense,” he said.

EU capitals are yet to agree on new punitive measures on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine that aim to crackdown on sanctions evasion via countries outside of the bloc like Kazakhstan, Armenia and the United Arab Emirates.

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Hungary has also threatened to block the latest round of sanctions over the inclusion of the country’s largest bank OTP in the list of potential targets. The decision requires unanimity.

New sanctions are to be adopted on Iran over the regime’s crackdown on anti-government demonstrations that come after Tehran executed three more men in connection with the protests.

EU foreign ministers are also set to discuss the situation in Sudan after Saudi Arabia and the United States brokered a seven-day ceasefire between the warring parties due to start on Monday.

A working lunch with the foreign ministers of the Western Balkan countries is also on the agenda. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is to join his EU counterparts via video.