The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Ingrida Šimonytė discussed the investigation of russian war crimes and the intensifying of sanctions against the aggressor. The meeting took place in Kyiv on April 11.

Denys Shmyhal noted that exactly two months ago they had visited the frontline territories in Luhansk region together and discussed then that Ukraine's reforms and success were the best weapons against russia's aggression.

Two months have passed and we live in a completely different world, but the message that Ukraine's success is the best weapon against russia's aggression has remained unchanged

Denys Shmyhal

The Prime Minister of Ukraine accentuated that Lithuania had become the first EU country to take a number of unprecedented decisions in solidarity with our country, including the complete abandonment of russian gas imports and the decision to expel the russian federation’s ambassador.

Denys Shmyhal called on Lithuania, together with other friends of Ukraine, to establish an alliance within the EU to push for tougher sanctions against the aggressor. In particular, the Ukrainian PM voiced the following important steps to end the war:

• introduction of a trade, economic and transport embargo against russia, especially on oil, gas, metals and minerals;

• freezing the accounts of all russian and belarusian banks and major russian and belarusian companies;

• disconnection of all russian banks from SWIFT, first of all Sberbank;

• depriving russia of the ability to use GPS during the war;

• preventing russia from using cryptocurrencies to circumvent sanctions and close other loopholes that russians are trying to use;

• expanding sanctions against russian oligarchs who continue to fund the putin regime and the war against Ukraine.

"In parallel with that, we ask you to provide Ukraine with air and ground defense systems, including aircraft, multiple rocket launchers, tanks and anti-ship missiles," urged Denys Shmyhal.

For her part, Ingrida Šimonytė stressed that all atrocities committed by the russian army in Ukraine must be thorougly documented.

Everyone who has been involved in these crimes must be brought to justice

Ingrida Šimonytė

Denys Shmyhal thanked the Republic of Lithuania for its contribution to the investigation of russian military crimes in Ukraine.