Lithuania caps fuel in vehicles arriving from Russia and Belarus at 200 litres
From 3 May, Lithuania will impose a new limit on vehicles arriving from Russia or Belarus, barring them from bringing more than 200 litres of fuel in their standard tanks. The rule will remain in force until 31 December 2027 and forms part of Lithuania’s sanctions package against Russia and Belarus.
Lithuanian customs says officials will begin checking how much fuel is carried in the standard tanks of vehicles arriving from Russia and Belarus. If an inspection finds more than 200 litres, the vehicle will not be allowed into Lithuania or the European Union customs territory and will be sent back to its country of origin.
The fuel does not need to be declared in the iMDAS system, and the amount will be declared orally. If the driver disputes the decision, Lithuanian customs may impose administrative liability and, if necessary, detain the vehicle.
According to an explanation from the Seimas, Lithuania wants to curb cases in which trucks from third countries enter from Russia or Belarus with large amounts of fuel, drain part of it after crossing the border and sell it in Lithuania. Lithuania regards this as a possible way of circumventing sanctions and as indirect support for the regimes in Russia and Belarus.
Lithuania’s Customs Department estimates that such activity may cause the state around 2.2 million euros in tax losses per month. That figure sits alongside the country’s official sanctions package as more of an economic justification than the sole basis for the restriction.
In practice, the measure hits trucks hardest, as their standard tanks often hold more than 200 litres. For a typical passenger car, the new limit will mostly remain theoretical because its tank is usually far smaller.
Lithuania’s move further tightens border controls affecting Russia and Belarus. It does not close the border to all vehicles, but it effectively makes crossing with large amounts of fuel impossible.
