In early May, Vilnius hosted the 5th Annual AML Center Conference 2026, which brought together international experts, representatives of public policy, supervisory authorities, financial institutions, and law enforcement agencies. Participants discussed how cooperation, information sharing, and professional expertise form a protective mechanism for economies against financial crime.

A resilient financial system capable of effectively countering financial crime is one of the key elements of national security. This year’s conference focused on the practical challenges faced by financial institutions, including detecting hostile financial activity, understanding mechanisms for sanctions evasion, strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors, and addressing gaps in law enforcement. Particular attention was given to sanctions implementation, international coordination, and the role of financial institutions as an early warning system.

Oksana Ihnatenko was one of the speakers in the panel discussion “Protecting the International Financial System from Abuse – Should We Expand the Scope Even Further?”, moderated by Greta Barkauskienė. The discussion placed particular emphasis on the risks associated with virtual assets, which are increasingly being used to circumvent sanctions and finance illicit activity.

For Ukraine, this issue remains particularly relevant given the need to develop comprehensive regulation of virtual assets and the continued use of such instruments by Russia to evade sanctions.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Eglė Lukošienė, Director of the Center of Excellence in Anti-Money Laundering in Lithuania, and her team for the opportunity to take part in this important professional platform, and to extend our congratulations on the successful delivery of the event.