Russian Foreign Ministry Accuses Danish Paper of Publishing Provocative Article on Kaliningrad Problem

The Russian Foreign Ministry yesterday accused the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten of publishing a provocative article on the Kaliningrad problem. According to the Foreign Ministry's press service, the article entitled 'The Russian Problem', which appeared on July 30, 'contains falsehoods concerning the situation in Kaliningrad and offers 'solutions' for resolving the problem which has arisen in connection with the EU's expansion'. The ministry's spokesperson said that 'the article's authors assert that Russia has caused this problem for Europe by turning the once flourishing Prussian city of Konigsberg into 'a squalid bandits' lair'. As a solution to the problem, the Russians are recommended to 'go back to Russia and hand the region over to the EU under the joint rule of Poland, Latvia and, perhaps, Germany'.'

The Foreign Ministry stated that 'essentially, the article calls for a renegotiation of the outcome of the Second World War and a redrawing of the post-war borders, in other words, a restructuring of the post-war arrangement, which has been the basis of stability on the continent for the last 50 years and more'.

As the publication of the article virtually coincides with the start of the Danish presidency of the EU, the Russian Foreign Ministry is expecting an official reaction from Copenhagen to 'the solutions for resolving the Kaliningrad problem proposed in Jyllands-Posten.