After the Lithuanian Parliament decided to extend sanctions against Russia and Belarus, additional restrictions were introduced for truck drivers entering Lithuania from these two countries. The Lithuanian Customs Service announced that from May 3, 2026, a ban on a specific form of import of cheaper fuels from Russia and Belarus will come into force. Trucks from these countries will not enter Lithuania if they have more than 200 liters of fuel in their tanks. This is to prevent fuel smuggling.
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New regulations in Lithuania. Only 200 liters of fuel
“It is prohibited to import fuel into the Republic of Lithuania from the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus in standard fuel tanks intended for vehicles, permanently attached by the manufacturer to all vehicles of the same type, provided for in the manufacturer's technical documentation, from which the fuel goes directly to the vehicle's fuel systems or is used in cooling systems or other systems, if the amount of fuel in these tanks exceeds 200 liters,” we read on the website of the Lithuanian office. The regulations are to apply until December 31, 2027.
The new regulations are intended to put an end to fuel smuggling in Lithuania. As “Rzeczpospolita” reminds, truck drivers are taking advantage of the war in the Persian Gulf to earn money by reselling Russian fuel straight from their tanks. Trucks enter from Russia and Belarus with full tanks and leave Lithuania with almost empty ones. According to Lithuanian estimates quoted by “Rz”, an average of 500 liters of fuel is sold illegally from one truck, and the daily amount of illegal fuel on the Lithuanian market may reach approximately 100,000. liters.
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In April 2026, as a result of the war in the Middle East and problems with oil supplies, a record increase in fuel prices was recorded in Lithuania. According to data from the Lithuanian Energy Agency, since the beginning of the conflict in the Middle East, the price of diesel oil has increased by 30 percent and gasoline by 18.4 percent.
Lithuania informs that if the amount of fuel is found to be higher than the regulations, the vehicle will be returned from the border, and if the driver does not agree to such a decision, he or she will be subject to severe sanctions, including having the vehicle taken away.
