“Find a compromise”: what could be behind the EU decision on transit to the Kaliningrad region

The decision of the European Commission to withdraw from sanctions the rail transit through Lithuania to Kaliningrad is a manifestation of realism and common sense.

This was stated by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova.

“At present, we are carefully studying the explanations provided by the European Commission, analyzing them from the point of view of the priority task - the comprehensive life support of the Kaliningrad region.

This decision, which removes restrictions on a certain range of products transported by rail, is a manifestation of realism and common sense.

Although we still have questions about the content of this document,” Zakharova said.

She added that "the Russian side will closely monitor how these EU steps will be implemented in practice."

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

• RIA News

• © Evgeny Odinokov

Earlier, the European Commission published clarifications on sanctions against the Russian Federation.

In accordance with them, the restrictions of the European Union do not apply to the rail transit of Russian goods to Kaliningrad through the Baltic States.

“These instructions confirm that the transit of sanctioned goods by Russian operators using road transport is not permitted by EU measures.

There is no similar prohibition for rail transport, which does not remove the obligations of the member states to exercise effective control, ”the message on the EC website says. 

At the same time, according to the instructions of the EC, the transit country will have to control the volume of rail transit from the Russian Federation.

“Member States should ascertain that transit volumes are in line with historical averages over the past three years, reflecting, inter alia, real demand for essential goods at the destination, and that there are no unusual trade flows or patterns that could facilitate circumvention (of restrictions. -

).

The transit of sanctioned military and dual-use goods and technologies is completely prohibited in any case, regardless of the method of transportation,” the EC said.

The European Commission also stressed "the importance of monitoring bilateral trade flows between Russia and the Kaliningrad region so that sanctioned goods cannot enter the customs territory of the EU." 

Governor of the Kaliningrad region Anton Alikhanov called the decision of the EC to unblock railway transit the first step in resolving the issue.

“The solution is only the first step in solving the problem, a similar solution is required in terms of road transport,” Alikhanov wrote in his Telegram channel.

In turn, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, commented on the decision of the EC.

“The EU reluctantly admitted that the requirements for transit to our Kaliningrad region are fair.

A rare case when cretinism and cave Russophobia in Brussels defeated the gaps of reason, ”Medvedev wrote in his Telegram.

"Breaking Anything and Everything"

Recall that on June 17, Lithuanian Railways notified the Kaliningrad Railway of the termination of the transit of a number of sanctioned goods starting from June 18.

This was announced then by the governor of the region Anton Alikhanov.

Later, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Kaliningrad Region published a list of goods that fell under the ban.

• Anton Alikhanov

• RIA News

• © Alexander Kryazhev

The list, in particular, includes household appliances worth more than €750, musical instruments worth more than €1,000 a piece, vehicles for transporting people by land, air or sea worth more than €50,000 (except for ambulances), chairlifts lifts, traction mechanisms for funiculars, motorcycles worth more than €5 thousand each, as well as accessories and spare parts for them.

In addition, the list includes industrial equipment, machine tools and machines for production, building materials, luxury goods, works of art and antiques, equipment for playing billiards and bowling, golf equipment.

Also included in the list were purebred horses, caviar, truffles, cigars and perfumes.

In general, as analysts note, this list repeated the list of sanctioned goods that cannot be supplied to Russia by EU countries.

A few days later, the head of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry, Gabrielius Landsbergis, specified that Lithuania had introduced such a decision after consultations with the European Commission and on its recommendation.

To compensate for transit through Lithuania, part of the goods had to be sent to the Kaliningrad region by sea.

“A part was transferred to delivery by sea, and the freed-up capacities of the railway were loaded with non-sanctioned goods.

The transit continues, the ships are sailing,” said Dmitry Lyskov, head of the press service of the government of the Kaliningrad region.

Commenting on the actions of Vilnius to restrict transit to Kaliningrad, Anton Alikhanov said that they are illegal and could have far-reaching consequences for the European Union.

According to him, Lithuania is grossly violating its obligations, therefore, the question of denunciation of agreements between Russia and the European Union can be considered as a response.

“The damage to the economies of the Baltic States from potential retaliatory measures could be very serious.

It can simply destroy some sectors of the economy that previously formed a significant share of the budgets of these countries.

Transport is the cornerstone on which, in particular, the economy of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia stood,” said the head of the region.

In Moscow, Lithuania's actions were called illegal and unprecedented.

“The decision is truly unprecedented.

This is a violation of everything and everything.

We understand that this is due to the relevant decision of the European Union to extend the sanctions to transit.

We also consider this illegal,” said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the President of Russia.

He noted that the actions of Vilnius are an element of the blockade of the Russian region.

In turn, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Lithuania's Chargé d'Affaires ad interim Virginia Umbrasene to Smolenskaya Square.

She was strongly protested in connection with the "openly hostile" step of Vilnius to stop the transit of a large range of goods through the territory of Lithuania to the Kaliningrad region.

“If in the near future cargo transit between the Kaliningrad region and the rest of the territory of the Russian Federation through Lithuania is not fully restored, then Russia reserves the right to take actions to protect its national interests,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a commentary.

In turn, Maria Zakharova promised Lithuania the consequences not in the diplomatic, but in the practical plane, and the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Patrushev, said that the retaliatory measures of the Russian Federation would have a “serious negative impact” on Lithuanian citizens.

Among the retaliatory measures that Russia could introduce against the EU and Lithuania, Russian Charge d'Affaires in Lithuania Sergei Ryabokon called a reduction "by a similar proportion" of the transit of goods going to the EU through Russian territory.

Anton Alikhanov suggested introducing a complete ban on the movement of goods between the Baltic republics and Russia, with the exception of transit.

unsolved problem

According to analysts, the decision of the EC to remove the restriction on rail transit is explained by the unwillingness of Brussels to further aggravate the conflict with Russia.

“The European Union itself created this conflict from scratch, so it’s impossible to consider this as some kind of goodwill,” Oleg Nemensky, an expert at the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, said in an interview with RT.

• European Commission building

• Gettyimages.ru

• © Westend61

The analyst also expressed concern that Lithuania might try to continue to interfere with transit, despite the EU recommendations.

“We now see that Lithuania periodically commits provocative actions that have clearly not been coordinated with its political patrons in the EU.

In addition, we must take into account the general mood of the Lithuanian politicians - it is radically anti-Russian.

Therefore, the West still has the opportunity to use Lithuania in its anti-Russian policy, and we will most likely see new provocations on their part, ”said Oleg Nemensky.

In turn, Nikolai Mezhevich, President of the Baltic Studies Association, noted that even after the EC clarifications appeared, the issue of transit still remains unresolved.

“EC, Brussels are ready to find a certain compromise.

But I wouldn't be happy just yet.

At the time when we are reading their document, the real cargoes are still not going yet.

Only when the governor of the Kaliningrad region reports to the president that everything is in order and the goods have gone, it will be possible to say that the situation has been resolved, ”says Mezhevich.

At the same time, experts believe that in the future, Brussels and Vilnius may again begin to use the transit of goods to Kaliningrad to blackmail Moscow.

“The problem has not been resolved, it remains, and, unfortunately, it can be expected that it will again be on the agenda in the near future and in the distant future, since Europe has already shown its non-commitment to fulfill its previously assumed obligations.

They violated previous treaties.

So the problem remains for the future, ”concluded Oleg Nemensky.