Lithuania set to cut Russian oil and gas supplies and calls on EU countries to follow suit

Its president said contracts have been drawn up to procure oil from Saudi Arabia.

Lithuania’s president Gitanas Nauseda has called on EU countries to toughen sanctions against Russia (Getty)

Lithuania has pledged to cut its dependence on Russian oil and gas in protests at the war in Ukraine.

It hopes to set an example to the European Union, which is in the midst of sanctioning Russia’s energy sector.

Some 63% of Lithuania’s oil imports came from Russia in 2019 but its prime minister said this figure has since fallen.

The country’s only refinery, which gets 80% of its supplies from Russia, will wean itself off Russian crude oil.

Its gas distributor has also pledged to stop purchasing its supplies from Russia’s state-owned energy company.

“As far as I know, the company is very close to the stage where it will no longer be buying Russian oil and will no longer be using it for refining,” Ingrida Simonyte said.

Lithuania has urged EU countries to strengthen their sanction against Russia, and end their reliance on the country’s fossil fuels.

“The sanctions regime should be strengthened again. We need to do everything in our hands,” President Gitanas Nauseda said.

“This is the best time to start to reduce the reliance on energy resources from Russia. This is the best day to punish this country for this terrible military aggression.”

Russian president Vladimir Putin on Wednesday demanded “unfriendly” countries use roubles to pay for oil and gas, which saw a surge in European gas prices.

However, Mr Nauseda said he was not scared by Putin’s order.

“We already do not buy crude oil from Russia. [The refinery] is ready, and has long term contracts to buy crude oil from Saudi Arabia,” he said.

Whilst admitting Lithuania still has some reliance on Russian gas, he said it could easily be replaced with liquefied gas from elsewhere.