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VILNIUS, July 11 (Reuters) – Lithuania on Monday expanded restrictions on commerce by its territory to Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, as phase-ins on earlier-announced European Union sanctions towards Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine took impact.
Extra items barred from Monday morning embrace concrete, wooden, alcohol and alcohol-based industrial chemical compounds, a spokesperson for Lithuanian customs stated.
Russia warned Lithuania and the European Union on Friday that it might undertake “harsh measures” towards them if the transit of some items to and from Kaliningrad didn’t resume “inside the coming days”. learn extra
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On Monday, the Kaliningrad regional governor proposed a complete ban on overland motion of products between Russia and the three EU Baltic member states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, to push them into utilizing Kaliningrad ports. learn extra
“This may present actions to (our) maritime carriers and provides work to Kaliningrad ports, which have been hit onerous by the EU restrictions,” Governor Anton Alikhanov stated.
The EU commerce restrictions have been upgraded as governments, markets and firms fear Russia might select to increase the shut-off of the most important single pipeline carrying Russian fuel to Germany past a deliberate 10-day upkeep interval. learn extra
TEST OF RESOLVE
Kaliningrad borders on NATO and EU member states Lithuania and Poland and depends on railways and roads by Lithuania for many items. The coastal territory has been lower off from some freight transport from mainland Russia since June 17 below the EU sanctions regime.
Items that fall inside humanitarian or important classes, resembling meals, are exempted from the sanctions.
The dispute over the isolation of Kaliningrad is testing Europe’s resolve to implement the sanctions amid fears of an escalating confrontation with Russia after different restrictions pushed Moscow to default on its debt. learn extra
EU officers, with Germany’s backing, sought in late June a swift compromise to resolve the stand-off. Nevertheless sources instructed Reuters that Lithuania, as soon as dominated from Moscow inside the previous Soviet Union, had critical reservations about making what could possibly be seen as a concession to the Kremlin.
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Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius, enhancing by Anna Ringstrom and Mark Heinrich
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