Lithuania cuts off Russian gas imports and urges EU to do the same

Lithuania managed to reduce imports of Russian gas to zero on Saturday, a move seen as a milestone in achieving energy independence in the former Soviet republic of 2.8 million, the ministry said

Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda (Mindaugas Kulbis/AP)

Lithuania says it has cut itself off entirely from gas imports from Russia, apparently becoming the first of the European Union’s 27 nations using Russian gas to break its energy dependence on Moscow.

“Seeking full energy independence from Russian gas, in response to Russia’s energy blackmail in Europe and the war in Ukraine, Lithuania has completely abandoned Russian gas,” Lithuania’s energy ministry said in a statement late on Saturday.