If Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia decide to dismantle railway connections with Russia and Belarus, this decision must be joint. This was stated by the leaders of the countries after a meeting of the presidents of the Baltic states, UNN reports with reference to Delfi.
Details
Thus, Estonian President Alar Karis said that the countries had discussed such a possibility and if the dismantling takes place, it would have to be carried out jointly. He noted that the situations in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are different, and there is currently a transport connection between Central Asia and other countries, so it would be logical to act in a coordinated manner. Karis added that this issue is new and has been referred to the ministers for further discussion.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda emphasized the importance of coordinated actions regarding the Baltic defense line and in cooperation with Poland, which is also considering the creation of an Eastern defense line. He said that the European Commission should consider providing funding in both the short and long term. The Lithuanian president noted that the abandonment of railway tracks to eastern countries would be part of the counter-mobility measures that the Baltic countries are working on.
In turn, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs emphasized that the decisions will be joint, but they have not yet been made. Work will continue at the government level with the involvement of military and defense experts.
Rinkēvičs said that the problem is not limited to railways, as anti-mobility measures include several elements. He noted that the Baltic countries form a common defense zone, so decisions must be made jointly, and the proposal is to consider anti-mobility measures and the Baltic defense line as a single comprehensive solution.
Context
Several Latvian ministries and security agencies have been instructed to prepare a conclusion by the end of the year on the impact on Latvia of dismantling railway tracks on the Russian border. Minister of Transport Atis Švinka stated that it is necessary to assess the situation, because dismantling the tracks towards Russia will completely stop transit business in Latvia, in particular, for goods from Asia.
Recall
The Latvian government is studying the possibility of completely dismantling the railway tracks leading to Russia, after a meeting between President Edgars Rinkēvičs and Prime Minister Evika Siliņa on November 26.