Lithuanian President Calls for Higher EU Tariffs on Russian and Belarusian Agricultural Products

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has called for the European Union to impose higher tariffs on imports of Russian and Belarusian agricultural products, including grains, vegetables, and fish, in order to make these imports uncompetitive.

Nausėda argued that there has been an increase in exports of agricultural products from Russia and Belarus to Europe, and the EU needs to take economic measures, such as additional tariffs, to prevent these imports.

The EU summit has accepted Nausėda's proposal to strengthen the EU's sectoral policy in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine. This means Russian producers will now have to look for new markets for their agricultural exports. However, some EU countries have expressed reservations about the proposed measures, indicating that there are differing views within the EU on the best approach to sanctions against Russia and Belarus.

Why this matters: The proposed higher tariffs on Russian and Belarusian agricultural products are part of the EU's broader efforts to put economic pressure on Russia and Belarus in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The differing views among EU countries highlight the challenges in reaching a consensus on sanctions policy.

President Nausėda's proposal aims to further isolate Russia and Belarus economically due to their involvement in the Ukraine conflict. "The aim is to put economic pressure on Russia and Belarus in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine," Nausėda stated. The Lithuanian president emphasized the need for the EU to take a stronger stance against Russian and Belarusian imports to support Ukraine and deter further aggression in the region.

Key Takeaways

• Lithuanian president calls for EU to impose higher tariffs on Russian, Belarusian ag products
• EU summit accepts proposal to strengthen sectoral policy against Russia and Belarus
• Proposed tariffs aim to economically isolate Russia and Belarus over Ukraine conflict
• Some EU countries express reservations, highlighting challenges in reaching consensus on sanctions
• Measures seek to put economic pressure on Russia and Belarus to deter further aggression