Russia demands that Lithuania’s transit ban be lifted

Russia’s Foreign Ministry demands that Lithuania lift the ban on allowing freight trains on their way to Kaliningrad to pass through Lithuanian territory. But Lithuania’s foreign minister says the ban is in line with EU sanctions.

Last week, Lithuania announced that it is banning the movement of goods subject to EU sanctions against Russia through Lithuania via a transit railway to Russian Kaliningrad.

Russia’s Defense Ministry calls the restrictions “openly hostile”.

“Unless freight traffic between the Kaliningrad region and the rest of Russia’s territory is fully restored in the near future, Russia reserves the right to act to protect its national interests,” the ministry said in a statement.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis says the ban is in line with EU sanctions.

– It is not Lithuania that is doing anything – these are European sanctions that started working on June 17, he says.

The Foreign Minister says that customers have been informed about the stop, which currently concerns rail transport of steel products and other goods made of iron ore.

– This has been done in consultation with the European Commission and in accordance with the European Commission’s guidelines, says Landsbergis.

The Kaliningrad exclave is located between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. Goods affected by the ban include coal, metals, building materials and advanced technology. According to Kaliningrad Governor Anton Alichanov, the ban is expected to affect around 50 percent of all imports to the exclave.