Danish Ambassador: EU Unlikely to Agree to Subsidize Air Travel to and from Kaliningrad

It's unlikely that the EU will support the idea of resolving the Kaliningrad transit problem by subsidizing air flights. This was announced on Wednesday at a press conference by Danish Ambassador to Russia Lars Vissing. Denmark currently holds the presidency of the EU.

'This would not resolve the current problem, and is not a decision which the EU could take,' said Vissing. He said that the issue of how people should travel - by sea, by air or by land - is something that must be decided by each individual independently. 'This is not the responsibility of the EU. If a Dane, for example, decides to travel to one of our islands via St. Petersburg, it wouldn't enter his head to ask someone for a subsidy,' he said.

At the same time, Vissing remarked that the Kaliningrad problem will be a priority during Denmark's presidency of the EU. He also said that a working conference on this issue is currently underway in Brussels, with the Danish Foreign Secretary and representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry taking part. Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Razov is representing Russia.