An ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow aims to build a land corridor through NATO member countries.
Anton Gerashchenko, advisor to the Ukrainian Interior Minister, shared on X (formerly Twitter) an interview in which Russian propagandist and journalist Vladimir Solovyov argues in favor of a land corridor to connect Russia to its Baltic enclave, Kaliningrad. According to the latter, this plan would require crossing Poland and Lithuania, NATO member countries.
Mr. Solovyov’s comments come as world leaders consider the implications of a possible second term for Donald Trump, who has pledged to quickly negotiate an end to the conflict. Tensions between NATO and Russia remain high since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Although the conflict is focused on Ukraine, Russian officials have frequently hinted at broader territorial ambitions. “Threats on the western flank, on our western borders, must be eliminated, because this is one of the main reasons for the conflict. They can probably only be eliminated as part of broader agreements“, Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, reportedly declared during his annual press conference.
In this interview, deciphered by our colleagues at NewsWeek, Mr. Solovyov blames Great Britain for strikes on Crimea and demands that Ukraine no longer have access to the Black Sea. He called Odessa and Mykolaiv “Russian cities” and advocates for a land corridor to Transnistria (a state claimed by Moldova), saying it is necessary for energy security.
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Mr. Solovyov also compared his speech to Donald Trump’s recent statement regarding the acquisition of Greenland for the security of the United States. “Trump says that for America’s security, it is necessary for Greenland to be American. What is needed for Russia’s security? Russia’s security needs a land crossing to Kaliningrad so that there are no aggressively hostile states on our borders. To do this, we will have to go to the Atlantic, so that our assaults can simply cross the liberated territories using technical means” he said.
Anton Gerashchenko dismissed Vladimir Solovyov’s speech and claims, calling him an “insatiable imperialist Russian.”
Putin NATO land corridor war Ukraine Europe
