Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, Minister of Energy of Lithuania

Lithuania supports Ukraine in many areas, including energy. It has already sent 356 cargoes weighing 6,000 tons to Ukraine. This Baltic country also understands perfectly well the discount price that Russia offers for its energy resources. As Lithuanian Energy Minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas noted, the Kremlin has always used them as a weapon.

The Lithuanian government official said this in an interview with Ukrinform during his visit to Kyiv last week. Vaičiūnas arrived in Kyiv for the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl accident. On the same day, he assured us at the Energy Ramstein that Lithuania would help us prepare for the winter of 2026-2027.

The agency asked him about the preparation of the next package of EU sanctions against Russia and how Ukraine's membership will strengthen the EU's energy sector.

I COULD WITNESS WITH MY OWN EYES OUR SYSTEMS WORKING

           – Minister Vaičiūnas, could you please highlight the goals of your visit to Kyiv? 

           – This is a symbolic support action from the Lithuanian government and my side, having in mind that there are 40 years since the Chornobyl disaster. This is also the Kyiv Security Forum. All the time, I was trying to use this opportunity to express our support to Ukraine, its energy system, and society. 

           Second point: it has been my first chance to visit hospitals and kindergartens within the programme that Lithuania has supported financially. Ukrainian and our companies were installing solar panels and storage capacity at these facilities. This is an important part of the decentralisation of energy generation and the move toward more renewable-based generation.

           We support Ukraine on the path to installing more renewable generation and ensuring the security of supply, critical for hospitals and other facilities. I could visit and witness with my own eyes how the systems are working. I received feedback that the installation phase had been really fast and everything was perfect.

           This is our goal to not wait one year or a year and a half, but to install this as soon as possible. 

           We are discussing the gas sector, which consists of two elements. One is that we are proud that we used the Lithuanian LNG terminal to transfer gas to Ukraine through Poland. From the last year until now, four LNG cargoes have been transmitted to the Ukrainian system. The next point is that we discussed the potential of the underground gas storage in Ukraine and how to ensure that there is a strategic gas reserve for Europe.

EU SHOULDN’T IMPORT OIL FROM RUSSIA IN THE LONG-TERM FUTURE

          – The EU has approved the approve the 20th sanctions package against Russia yesterday. Are you satisfied with its measures against the Russian energy sector?

         – The EU is constantly moving forward. This time, it extends the list of ships of the Russian shadow fleet, with over 40 ships included. It is important that this is a systematic approach that needs to continue.

         However, in the longer-term future, we need to ensure that Europe will not be importing oil from Russia. These key decisions have been made for the gas sector during quite a short period of time. Lithuania has been pushing together with our regional partners, the European Commission, and other member states to make this as soon as possible.

         Lithuania was the first EU country to stop importing gas in 2022, just after the war had started in Ukraine.

         The European Commission is now preparing the draft regulation on which Lithuania is ready to work quite intensively. We will see it before our presidency or during our presidency, starting January 1 2027. We are prepared to ensure the European decision to stop the import of Russian oil.

MOVING WITH SANCTIONS TO BE EASIER AFTER THE ELECTIONS IN HUNGARY

          – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Margus Tsahkna announced that European countries are already working on the 21st sanction package. What does Lithuania want to see there?

         – Our regional partners and Lithuania have been constant supporters of the most radical sanctions. We will be supporting stronger measures against the Russian shadow fleet as much as possible.

         Now, after the elections in Hungary, it might be easier to move with sanctions. We do hope all the negotiations will be more operational.

         – Do you think the issue of sanctioning Rosatom is dead in the EU?

         – This is a more complicated question because the nuclear fuel is not available for Europe or worldwide.

         The International Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency have to work on that more actively. We have to push this forward as well.

LITHUANIA HAS LEARNT ITS LESSONS ABOUT HEAVY DEPENDANCE ON RUSSIA

          – The war in Iran causes a spike in prices for energy resources. Do Lithuanian people start questioning the sanctions?

        – Not at all. We have learnt our lessons about heavy dependence on Russia’s energy import. This historical legacy was now finished last year with our joining the Continental European network. This has been the last victory for our energy independence. 

        It was not an easy route, but we completely stopped importing oil, gas, and electricity from Russia. There is no discussion within our society or among politicians. The decision is taken. I cannot imagine any talk that we need to step back.

        We have to work on other elements, like how to decarbonise our transport sector, support the EVs, heat pumps, and other solutions that leverage these higher prices.

          – Ukraine has started attacking Russian ports that serve as oil transfer hubs. However, President Zelenskyy said some partners had asked Ukraine to stop doing that to avoid even higher prices. Do you think Ukraine is right here?

         – The main target is that Russia cannot finance the war in Ukraine, using its energy. Historically, it has always used this as a weapon.

         Every measure that lets us stop the war in Ukraine is important. From that perspective, the shadow fleet and the possibilities to reduce the export of Russian oil are important instruments.

         – Last year, Ukrainian anti-corruption bodies unravelled a big corruption scheme called «Midas» in our energy sector. How has it affected your cooperation with the Ukrainian side and the perception of Ukrainian counter parties?

         – We have to separate the things and have always been against compromises with corruption. Lithuania appreciates the efforts made by the Ukrainian anti-corruption institutions.

         The second point is the support of Ukraine’s energy system. We are unwavering on that and do not change our approach. We will be doing so in the future.

EU ENSURES GAS STORAGE CAPACITIES WITH UKRAINE’S FUTURE MEMBERSHIP

          – What added value do you see in Ukraine’s accession to the EU’s energy sector? You already mentioned, for example, that Lithuania is developing underground gas storages in Ukraine.

       – That is one of the strategic items that could be a win-win solution for Ukraine and the EU. We see clear interest from Ukraine to elaborate on the underground gas storage, which is the biggest in Europe.

         Gas will still be important as a transitory and reserve fuel in the long-term future despite the decarbonization. Hence, it would be important to strategically ensure internal storage capacities with the future membership of Ukraine.         

Ivan Kosiakin, Kyiv.

Photos: Volodymyr Tarasov / Ukrinform