Dispute over transit to Kaliningrad: Russia threatens Lithuania

Russia accuses Lithuania of hostility over restrictions on transit to the Kaliningrad exclave. The Foreign Ministry threatened consequences. The Lithuanian government replied that they were only implementing EU sanctions.

The Kremlin has criticized Lithuania’s rail transit restrictions between Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad and the Russian mainland. “This decision is really unprecedented and is a violation of everything,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Russian agency Interfax.

Russia’s foreign ministry has accused Lithuania of “openly hostile” restrictions on cargo traffic to Kaliningrad as part of EU sanctions. Should transit between Kaliningrad and the rest of Russia via Lithuanian territory not be fully restored quickly, Russia “reserves the right to take action to protect its national interests,” the ministry said. According to the ministry, the Lithuanian chargé d’affaires was summoned to Moscow to protest the measures.

Lithuanian government defends restrictions

Kaliningrad – the former East Prussian Königsberg – is located on the Baltic Sea between Lithuania and Poland and has no direct land connection to Russia. Lithuania has banned the rail transit of goods on Western sanctions lists through its territory to Kaliningrad. This affects 40 to 50 percent of all goods in transit, such as building materials and metals. From a Russian perspective, this violates a 2002 agreement between Russia and the EU.

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on the sidelines of EU foreign ministers’ meetings in Luxembourg that the measures were in line with the sanctions imposed by the EU because of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. “It’s not Lithuania doing something – it’s the European sanctions that came into effect on June 17,” Landsbergis said. The restrictions were implemented “in consultation with the European Commission and in accordance with the directives of the European Commission”. The affected customers have also been informed.

EU wants to review guidelines after criticism

According to Landsbergis, the transport restrictions affect steel products and other goods made from iron ore. The EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also confirmed that it was not a question of a blockade of Kaliningrad, but merely a ban on the transport of certain types of goods. “Overland transit between Russia has not been stopped or banned,” he said.

After the Russian criticism, Borrell assured that the guidelines for sanctions would be reviewed. As a precaution, the legal aspects of the guidelines on import and export restrictions for certain products will be reviewed again, he said.

According to the governor of Kaliningrad, Anton Alikhanov, 40 to 50 percent of imports could be affected – in addition to metal, coal, building materials and technological goods. The Kremlin spoke of an unprecedented decision by Lithuania that violated all principles. “The situation is more than serious,” said Peskow. You will now be examined with a view to reactions.

Ukraine declares solidarity with Lithuania

Relations between Russia and Lithuania as well as the two other Baltic countries Latvia and Estonia are already tense due to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. The three EU and NATO countries fear becoming the next target of Russian military aggression.

Ukraine declared its solidarity with Lithuania. “Russia has no right to threaten Lithuania,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted. “We welcome Lithuania’s principled position and firmly support our Lithuanian friends.”

Home of the Russian Baltic Fleet

Separated from the rest of Russian territory, Kaliningrad is of great strategic and military importance to Russia. The port city is home to the Russian Baltic Fleet. According to Russia, it has stationed nuclear-capable Iskander missiles in the exclave.

Around 430,000 people live in Kaliningrad, cut off from the Russian heartland between Lithuania and Poland. Goods there are usually transported via Belarus and Lithuania. The government in Moscow could also supply the exclave by sea.