EU to reconsider siege of Kaliningrad after Russia vows retaliation
The EU is not seeking to “encircle” Russia’s Kaliningrad region and will review sanctions to avoid blocking travel into and out of the territory, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on June 23.
Lithuania's actions to restrict travel to and from Kaliningrad, taken in accordance with the European Commission's instructions, are aimed at preventing the circumvention of sanctions against Russia, amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, Borrell explained.
 |
Cargo ship in Kaliningrad, Russia on June 20. Photo: Sputnik |
"We want to control and prevent any circumvention of the sanctions, not to block travel. The European Commission and the European External Action Service will examine the instructions to clarify that we do not want to block travel between Russia and Kaliningrad," Borrell commented.
Last week, Lithuania’s national railway operator banned some sanctioned goods from being transported between the region and Russia, citing sanctions imposed by the European Commission. The restrictions are expected to affect about 50% of the flow of goods between Kaliningrad and Russia, as well as affecting land travel.
While Moscow has called the move an “economic blockade” of the region, both the EU and Lithuania have insisted that the measures have no such purpose. Senior Russian officials have also vowed to respond to “these hostile actions.” Russian Security Council chief Nikolay Patrushev said there would be retaliatory steps that would “have a serious negative impact on the Lithuanian people.”
"Of course Russia will react to these hostile actions. Appropriate measures are being discussed and will be applied in the near future," said Nikolay Patrushev./.
