Russia threatens Lithuania after restrictions on transit to Kaliningrad enclave

This case further heightens the strong tensions between Russia and Western countries. Russia threatened on Monday, June 20, to retaliate to the introduction of restrictions “hostile” on the transit of certain goods via Lithuania to its enclave of Kaliningrad, a consequence of European sanctions linked to Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.

The Russian region of Kaliningrad is an enclave by the Baltic Sea, separated from the rest of Russia and bordering Poland to the west and Lithuania to the east. Moscow said Vilnius had introduced restrictions over the weekend on the rail transit of goods hit by European sanctions in the direction of Kaliningrad, a strategic and militarized enclave which is separated from the rest of Russian territory.

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“We demanded [à la Lituanie] the immediate lifting of these restrictions”the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, calling the measures a“hostile”. If the transit “is not restored in full, then Russia reserves the right to act to defend its national interests”he warned, adding that the Lithuanian charge d’affaires in Moscow had been summoned to the ministry.

“The situation is more than serious”noted the spokesman of the Kremlin, Dmitri Peskov, estimating that a “Extensive analysis was needed to craft the replicas”. Moscow, for whom these transit sanctions violate a 2002 Russia-EU agreement, did not specify what retaliatory measures were on the table.

Delicate relationships

While the Baltic states have expressed strong support for kyiv since the start of the conflict, relations between them and Russia have been delicate for years. The first Soviet republic to declare its independence in 1990, Lithuania, like Latvia and Estonia, is today a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU). These states see themselves as ” in the first line “ against Russia.

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The Lithuanian government specified that the restrictions denounced by Moscow were a consequence of the sanctions imposed by the EU in connection with the Russian military intervention in Ukraine. During a trip to Luxembourg, the head of Lithuanian diplomacy, Gabrielius Landsbergis, declared:

It’s not Lithuania doing anything, it’s the European sanctions that started to work from June 17th.

In this context, “property under sanction (…) will no longer be allowed to transit through Lithuania”specified the Minister, stressing that this measure was applied in accordance with the “European Commission directives”.

During a press conference following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, also said:

Overland transit between Russia and Kaliningrad has not been stopped or banned. The transit of passengers and goods continues. There is no blockade.

Situation “unpleasant, but surmountable”

In the face of Russian anger, kyiv lent its support to Lithuania. “Russia has no right to threaten Lithuania”declared the head of Ukrainian diplomacy, Dmytro Kouleba. “We welcome Lithuania’s position of principle and strongly support our Lithuanian friends”he added on Twitter.

Calling the situation a “unpleasant, but surmountable”Kaliningrad Governor Anton Alikhanov announced on Monday that goods that can no longer be transported by rail will begin to be transported by sea “within a week”.

He accused the Lithuanians of having set up a “blockade” and estimated that between 40% and 50% of the enclave’s imports could be affected by the restrictions, from coal to metals, construction materials and technological goods.

The head of Lithuanian diplomacy, Mr. Landsbergis, spoke about iron and products made from iron ore.

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The World with AFP


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