Lithuania has failed to properly prepare its strategic communication to respond to Russia’s threats over the restriction of sanctioned goods’ transit to Kaliningrad, Lithuania’s European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius has said.
Russia’s rhetoric could have been foreseen as transit to Kaliningrad is a sensitive issue for Moscow and Lithuania is aware of that, according to Sinkevičius.
“I have no doubt that they [Russia] had prepared the narrative of what they would do in advance, that they would spread panic here,” he told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday.
“Lithuania is aware of the sensitivities involving the Kaliningrad transit, and it knows how important this issue is. So, perhaps, more work could have been done here,” he added. “I believe we should have been prepared for such an attack from Russia and the spread of disinformation and lies.”
According to Sinkevičius, the European Commission is ready to fully support Lithuania and other EU member states in the implementation of the existing sanctions.
“The Commission will fully support Lithuania and all member states in the implementation of sanctions. Six sanction packages have been adopted so far, and it is now very important to focus on their implementation,” he said.
On Tuesday, Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia’s Security Council, warned Lithuania of “serious consequences” in response to the ban of some sanctioned goods’ transit to Kaliningrad.
“Appropriate measures are being worked out in an interdepartmental format and will be taken in the near future. Their consequences will have a serious negative impact on the population of Lithuania,” he said.
Read more: Lithuanian citizens to feel consequences of Kaliningrad transit sanctions, Russia warns
Lithuania insists it has not imposed unilateral restrictions, stressing that they are part of the EU’s fourth sanctions package, imposed as a result of the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
“What is happening with the Kaliningrad transit is happening because Russia attacked Ukraine. There was no, and there could have been no other reason for it,” Sinkevičius reiterated.
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