23 Jun 2022 10:10

Lithuanian president to ask for support at EU summit amid Russian threats - advisor

VILNIUS. June 23 (Interfax/BNS) - Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda will ask European Union leaders to support Lithuania at the upcoming EU summit, considering the recent Russian threats made in connection with restricted transit to the Kaliningrad region, Asta Skaisgiryte, chief foreign policy advisor to the Lithuanian president, said.

"The president will raise [the issue - BNS], because it is relevant to our life and because Russia has threatened Lithuania with a full package of countermeasures in response to the implementation of the EU sanctions," Skaisgiryte said.

"In our view, it would be fair to call this EU business, not just Lithuanian but the EU's as a whole, and to say that the EU imposed sanctions together," she said.

In addition, Nauseda is due to propose that the EU begin to discuss the seventh package of sanctions against Russia.

Nauseda will seek the unanimous approval of Ukraine's EU candidate status by the EU leaders, she said.

The European Commission recommended last week that Ukraine be granted the candidate status.

Kaliningrad Governor Anton Alikhanov said on Telegram on June 17 that rail transit of goods "under European sanctions" to the region from other parts of the Russian Federation will be significantly constrained by the Lithuanian authorities starting June 18. Preliminary estimates show that the ban affects 40% to 50% of all transit cargo, including construction materials, cement, metals, and other important commodities, he said.

In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Russia reserves the right to protect its interests unless Lithuania fully resumes transit between the Kaliningrad region and the rest of Russia.

Yesterday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that a possible response to Lithuania's restrictions on transit to the Kaliningrad region will be practical rather than diplomatic.

For its part, Lithuania said these are not unilateral restrictions but an action taken consistent with the EU sanctions imposed on Russia over its doings in Ukraine.

A two-day EU summit will begin in Brussels on Thursday.