Kaliningrad remarks raise escalation concerns
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, in an interview with the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, said NATO should demonstrate that it can challenge Russia’s military presence in Kaliningrad.
“We must show the Russians that we can penetrate the small fortress they have built in Kaliningrad,” the Lithuanian minister said.
According to Budrys, NATO has the necessary means to neutralise Russian military bases in the Kaliningrad Region.
Back in December 2025, Vladimir Putin warned European politicians against any possible blockade of Kaliningrad. He said such actions would lead to an “unprecedented escalation of the conflict”, take it to “a completely different level” and risk expanding it into a large-scale armed confrontation.
Despite those warnings, Budrys went further than discussing a blockade. His remarks pointed instead to the possibility of military action against Russia’s internationally recognised territory. Critics argue that such rhetoric creates serious risks for Lithuania itself, which would likely be among the first to face consequences in the event of escalation.
