What the Blockade of Kaliningrad Will Cost the European Union

Russia and the European Union are not in a state of war, however, the situation concerning the restrictions on the transit of goods to Kaliningrad could "disrupt that balance," said expert Emma Ashford in an interview with Foreign Policy.

According to her, Lithuania and the European Union should cease their actions against the Kaliningrad region, as the freight transportation in the area relates to internal Russian trade. Brussels should have initially prevented the issue by making an exception for this region of the Russian Federation in the sanctions package, Ashford believes.

"Perhaps Lithuania should not create a special corridor for Kaliningrad, but someone in Brussels should have done it: this is not trade with the European Union, this is trade within Russia that has to pass through European territory," she stated.