Ukraine war: Moscow warns Europe against closing borders with Russia; 'playing with fire'

Russia has warned neighbouring European countries against closing their borders with Russia and Belarus, claiming that doing so would result in the blockade of Russia's westernmost exclave, Kaliningrad.

In response to Moscow's military offensive in Ukraine, Latvian and Lithuanian leaders made statements earlier this week about the possibility of closing their borders with Russia and Belarus.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko commented on the situation on Wednesday, expressing extreme optimism that "common sense" would stave off the Europeans from "playing with fire." Residents of Kaliningrad would be denied the ability to travel by land to Russia's main territory by implementing such measures. 

“I really hope that common sense in Europe will not allow any games to be played around Kaliningrad. I think many people understand that this is playing with fire,” the deputy minister told the Russian media.

His comments follow statements by Latvian and Lithuanian officials this week pushing for the closure of borders between their countries’ Russian and Belarusian borderlines.

Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks had said on Tuesday that the move could only happen if all three Baltic nations made the decision together, echoing Lithuanian FM Gabrielius Landsbergis’ suggestion of a wider collective “European or regional solution” being needed.

Andrey Deschitsa, the Ukrainian ambassador to Poland, disclosed on March 31 that his country was in negotiations with Warsaw regarding sealing the border between Poland and Belarus.

Even before Moscow's launched its military offensive against Kyiv, Poland and the Baltic nations were recognised for their tough stance toward Russia. Following the commencement of the "special military operation", these countries have repeatedly urged their allies to intensify sanctions against Moscow and have taken steps on their own as well. Poland expelled 45 Russian diplomats two weeks ago, alleging that they were involved in espionage operations endangering Poland's and its allies' security.

Lithuania and Latvia to downgrade diplomatic ties with Russia

Lithuania became the first EU nation to declare that it had “completely abandoned” Russian gas, as well as the first to expel a Russian diplomat. On Monday, both Lithuania and Latvia announced that their diplomatic relations with Moscow would be downgraded.

Following Ukraine's alleged refusal to fulfil the provisions of the Minsk agreements made in 2014, and Russia's subsequent recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, Russia launched an attack on its neighbour in late February. The conventions brokered by Germany and France were intended to normalise the status of certain territories inside the Ukrainian state.

Russia has now demanded that Ukraine declare itself a neutral country that would never enter the NATO military alliance led by the United States. Kyiv believes the Russian invasion was unprovoked and refutes suggestions that it planned to seize the two republics by force.