The bloc is forcing Moscow to apply adequate self-defense, Andrey Klimov said after Lithuania blocked the transit of sanctioned goods to Russia’s exclave of Kaliningrad
NATO member state Lithuania is now effectively engaged in “direct aggression” against Russia, senator Andrey Klimov argued in his Telegram post on Monday, citing Vilnius’ decision to stop the transit of sanctioned goods to Russia’s exclave of Kaliningrad.
According to the Russian politician, who heads a commission for the defense of state sovereignty, by refusing to let certain goods pass through its territory to the Russian region, Lithuania has violated a treaty signed between Moscow and Brussels 20 years ago.
Unless the EU brings its member state to heel and forces it to respect the accord, a huge question mark would be hanging over the legal basis for Lithuania’s membership in the bloc, Klimov argued. The senator stressed that in this case, Moscow would have a free hand to “solve the problem of the Kaliningrad transit created by Lithuania by ANY means chosen by us.”
READ MORE: Blockade of Russian region a breach of international law – Moscow
Klimov went on to quote from the ‘Joint statement on transit between Kaliningrad Region and the rest of the Russian Federation’ dated November 11, 2002. The document, among other things, stated that the “parties acknowledge the unique position of Kaliningrad region as part of Russia separated from the rest of the Federation’s territory by other states.” Bearing this in mind, the signatories agreed to “make special efforts to allay both sides’ concerns with respect to the future transit of people and goods,” the senator pointed out.
The Russian lawmaker added that the uninterrupted transit from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad Region was guaranteed when Lithuania joined NATO back in 2004.
Klimov warned that the military alliance is “de jure starting with the hands of one of its member states an unacceptable blockade” of a Russian region.
This could be construed as direct aggression against Russia, which is literally forcing us to immediately resort to adequate self-defense.
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https://ift.tt/EsORGTr 20, 2022 at 02:48PM
from RT – Daily news