"It is rather a symbolic sign. Frankly speaking, it will be much more effective if the decision is taken at the EU level. However, the national decision is also a signal," Linkevicius told Lietuvos zinios news portal in an interview published on Thursday.
According to the minister, not a single Russian person has been removed from the Lithuanian sanction list drafted in April 2016, as there no reasons for that.
Russia’s relations with the West, including Lithuania, deteriorated sharply after Crimea rejoined Russia in 2014 and the West accused Moscow of meddling in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, imposing several rounds of sanctions against Russia.
The European Union's main economic sanctions against Moscow are in place until January 31, 2017, and sanctions against some Russian citizens and legal entities are valid until March 15 of the same year.
