Relations between Belarus and the Kaliningrad Region as a geopolitical factor in the Baltic-Scandinavian macroregion

Abstract

The main objective of the article is to demonstrate that relations between Belarus and the Kaliningrad Region of Russia are a significant geopolitical factor in the Baltic-Scandinavian macroregion and Eastern Europe, especially considering the confrontation between Russia and the West provoked by the conflict in Ukraine. It is noted that the special position of the Kaliningrad Region as an exclave surrounded by the territory of the EU contributes to the growth of tension and becomes one of the elements of the mentioned confrontation. The geopolitical problems of the Kaliningrad Region are considered in the broader context of the confrontation between Russia and the West in the Baltic Sea basin. The role of Belarus is also considered in this context. It is noted that after the collapse of the USSR, Belarus turned into a strategic rear of the Kaliningrad Region. It provides continental communications of the Russian exclave with the main territory of Russia and also plays an important role in ensuring the security of this Russian region. In addition, it is shown that Belarus and the Kaliningrad Region form a strategic link that creates bottlenecks and vulnerabilities on NATO’s eastern flank. First of all, this concerns the Suwalki Gap and the associated threats to the Baltics as an important NATO bridgehead. The article also examines the economic and humanitarian aspects of cooperation between Belarus and the Kaliningrad Region.