Lithuania backs embargo on Russian energy

Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis on March 7 backed calls for an embargo to be placed on Russian oil and gas in light of Moscow's actions in Ukraine.

"Energy sources which we import pay for the Russian military operation," Landsbergis said at a joint news conference with US secretary of state Antony Blinken. "We cannot pay for oil and gas with the blood of Ukraine."

The US and the EU previously resisted talk of sanctions against Russia that would affect its oil and gas sales as doing so would exacerbate the global energy crisis. However, following an escalation of Russian military actions in Ukraine, such steps are now being considered.

Blinken said on March 6 that the US and its allies were engaged in a "very active discussion" about banning Russian oil imports. Europe relies far more on Russian oil than the US, but has warmed to the idea in the past 24 hours, Reuters reported on March 7.