With relations between Moscow and the West at a low ebb over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, Lithuania has banned the transit of goods imposed by the European Union from its territory to and from the enclave, citing EU sanctions rules. . Nikolai Patrushev, a former KGB spy who is now secretary of Russia’s Security Council, said Lithuania’s “hostile” actions showed that Russia could not trust the West, which he said had violated written agreements. Kaliningrad. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register “Russia will certainly respond to such hostile actions,” Patrushev was quoted as saying by the state-run RIA news agency. “The appropriate measures are being prepared in an inter-service form and will be taken in the near future,” he was quoted as saying. “Their consequences will have a serious negative impact on the population of Lithuania.” Lithuania, a member of NATO and the European Union, said it was simply applying the agreed EU sanctions on Russia, adding that it was “ironic” to hear Moscow complaining about its war in Ukraine.
‘NO BLOCKING’
“It is ironic to hear rhetoric about alleged violations of international treaties by a country that has probably violated every international treaty,” Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonite told reporters. “There is no blockade of Kaliningrad,” Simonite said. “Lithuania implements EU sanctions”. Kaliningrad, the former port of Koenigsberg, the capital of East Prussia, was occupied by Nazi Germany by the Red Army in April 1945 and ceded to the Soviet Union after World War II. It is among the members of NATO, Poland and Lithuania. After Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, the United States and its allies imposed some of the harshest sanctions in modern history, a move by the Kremlin declaring an economic war. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has summoned EU Ambassador to Moscow Marcus Enterer to formally protest. read more “We demanded the immediate restoration of normal traffic in Kaliningrad. Otherwise, retaliation will follow,” he said. Mr Enterer urged Russia to refrain from “escalating steps and rhetoric” about the situation, an EU spokesman said. “He conveyed our position on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and explained that Lithuania is applying EU sanctions and there is no exclusion, and urged them to refrain from escalating rhetoric and rhetoric,” said Peter Stano, a spokesman for Brussels. Moscow calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” to disarm Ukraine and protect it from the fascists. Kyiv and its Western backers say this is a false pretext for waging an unprovoked offensive war. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Guy Faulconbridge writes. Editing by Nick Macfie and Gareth Jones Our role models: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
