On 2 March, the Council of the European Union imposed targeted restrictive measures on four Russian officials responsible for the jailing of Alexei Navalny and the repression of peaceful protests. This is the first time that the EU imposes sanctions in the framework of the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime or the so-called EU Magnitsky Law. The scheme that was adopted on 7 December 2020 enables to target individuals, entities, and other bodies responsible for constant serious human rights violations.

On 26 February, marking the Day of Resistance to Occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. We strongly condemn the Russian military aggression against Ukraine that started seven years ago and still continues, and the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol in gross violation of international law.

On 25 February in Chişinău, during the first visit to Moldova, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis met with the President of Moldova Maia Sandu and other high-ranking government officials. The meeting with the President of Moldova focused on bilateral relations, the political situation in the country, the agenda of European integration, the reform process in Moldova, the pandemic and vaccination, and other international policy issues.

We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania  express serious concerns over the political situation developing in Georgia and urge all political forces to act with restraint, de-escalate the situation and seek constructive solution in the interest of Georgia and all its citizens. We stress the critical importance of the rule of law and political dialogue in order to resolve the current crisis.

On 24 February, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis continued his visit to Ukraine and met with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other high-ranking officials.

On 23 February in Kyiv, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, the Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Epiphanius I, and relatives of Ukrainian citizens unlawfully imprisoned in Russia.

On 23 February, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Arnoldas Pranckevičius took part in an informal video conference of European affairs ministers, who prepared the informal video conference of Members of the European Council on 25-26 February. Ministers discussed the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, security and defence, and issues of the European Union's neighbourhood. They also exchanged views on the European democracy action plan and took stock of the interinstitutional discussions on the Conference on the Future of Europe, as well as assessed the state of play of EU-UK relations.

On 22 February, EU ministers of foreign affairs made a political decision to impose targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for Alexei Navalny’s imprisonment and the crackdown on peaceful protesters under the EU global human rights sanctions regime, or the so-called European Magnitsky Act.

On 22 February, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis participated in the Foreign Affairs Council, which focused on the EU-Russia relations, the human rights and democracy situation in Belarus, Myanmar, Hong Kong, and the EU initiative to strengthen a common European security and defence culture.

On the eve of the Foreign Affairs Council to be held on 22 February, EU ministers of foreign affairs, ambassadors, and representatives of the EU institutions met with Leonid Volkov, chief of staff to Alexei Navalny, and Ivan Zhdanov, Director of  Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis.