Baltic States Implement Border Closure for Russian-Registered Vehicles

Estonia has joined Latvia and Lithuania in banning vehicles with Russian license plates from entering the country, in accordance with updated European Commission guidelines. The move is seen as a response to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Exceptions include transit traffic to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and vehicles used by diplomatic and consular missions. The issue of what will happen to Russian-registered cars already in Estonia is yet to be addressed. The European Commission's guidelines also clarify that Russian citizens entering the EU in their own vehicles may face confiscation of their cars and other high-value items. Tensions on the borders of Poland and the Baltic countries with Russia and Belarus have risen due to various factors, including Moscow's aggression in Ukraine and the presence of the Russian Wagner mercenary group in Belarus.