Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis has said that they do not rule out a "regional" solution if the European Union does not agree to ban visas for Russian citizens.
Although Landsbergis has clarified that they are looking for an agreement with Brussels because it is "the most sustainable and legally correct", in case of not reaching it, Lithuania does not rule out the possibility of seeking "a regional solution" to not allow Russian citizens to move freely in the European continent.
Such a "regional solution" would encompass the other two Baltic States, Poland and "potentially Finland", in line, Landsbergis explained, with the measure that Estonia already applies unilaterally. "The admission of certain persons may be questioned in the interest of our national security," he said.
Landsbergis believes that if the Lithuanian Parliament has recognized Russia as a genocidal state and sponsor of terrorism, its citizens cannot travel freely in EU countries as tourists, although it would reserve humanitarian visas for those fleeing the "regime".
In this regard, he has been in favor of all border guards of the European Union states to question those Russian citizens who intend to come to the country not only about their purpose, but also about their opinions on the Kremlin's policies in relation to Ukraine.
"The border guard has the right to ask whether they support the war in Ukraine (...). If in the opinion of a person crossing the border Crimea is not occupied, we can assume that his admission does not meet the interests of national security," the minister said, according to Lithuanian public TV channel LRT.