In June, Lithuania imposed EU sanctions, imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, to restrict the transit of certain Russian goods such as coal, iron and steel through the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Kaliningrad is a piece of land controlled by Russia between the Baltic Sea and Lithuania and Poland, both of which are members of the EU and NATO. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government strongly condemned the move, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov calling it “more than serious” and a “violation of everything,” according to Reuters. Putin ally Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia’s Security Council, also warned of “serious consequences” as a result of the restrictions, the Guardian reported. This has fueled fears that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war could escalate dramatically, as the targeting of a NATO member state could force the alliance’s immediate military involvement. New legal guidance issued by the European Commission on Wednesday clarified that while “road transit of sanctioned goods” is not permitted under EU sanctions, “there is no similar prohibition for rail transport”. This means that Russia can, in effect, transit goods imposed by rail to Kaliningrad through NATO members Lithuania and Poland. Russia is allowed to transit goods subject to sanctions through European Union countries as long as it is done by rail, the bloc’s executive arm said on Wednesday. Above, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends the G7 summit at Schloss Elmau on June 26 near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Sean Gallup/Getty Images The guidance said that EU member states will monitor whether transit volumes are in line with the averages of the past three years, “reflecting in particular the real demand for essential goods at the destination and that there are no unusual flows or trade patterns that could lead to circumvention”. “The transit of military and dual-use goods and technology subject to sanctions is completely prohibited in any case—regardless of the mode of transport,” he added. The European Commission called on its member states to prevent any “circumvention” of the bloc’s restrictions, as well as to monitor trade flows between Russia and Kaliningrad to make sure goods subject to sanctions cannot enter the EU’s customs territory. He also stressed the importance of EU sanctions in responding to Russia’s ongoing incursion, saying the restrictions are “unprecedented and intended to increase economic pressure on Russia and undermine its ability to wage war in Ukraine.” “The EU stands united in solidarity with Ukraine and will continue to support Ukraine and its people together with its international partners, including through additional political, economic and humanitarian support,” the European Commission said in a press release. Newsweek has reached out to the European Commission and the foreign ministries of Lithuania and Russia for comment.
