Estonia has banned the transit of Russian and Belarusian grain

The Estonian government has approved sanctions that prohibit the transit of grain of Russian and Belarusian origin through the country.

This was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Margus Tsahkna. The decision on the corresponding sanctions was approved by the country’s government on October 1.

“Russia attacks Ukrainian ports, blocks Ukrainian grain exports, and then looks for new routes for its own grain. Estonia will not provide such a route,” Tsahkna said.

The ban will apply to the transit through Estonia of grain of Russian and Belarusian origin belonging to the CN 10 commodity group. It is designed as an amendment to the current sanctions regulation of Estonia and will enter into force the day after its publication in the state register Riigi Teataja.

According to the Estonian side, the transit of Russian grain through the country has so far been virtually non-existent. At the same time, in September, Tsakhkna warned that Russia was looking for new routes for grain exports as an alternative to the Black Sea, and urged carriers not to plan deliveries through Estonian ports.

Estonia is also coordinating actions with Latvia and Lithuania to prevent the reorientation of Russian grain transit to the ports of the Baltic states. The day before, Tsakhkna stated in Riga that the cessation of such transit should be a joint step of the Baltic states.

In 2024, the EU introduced duties on imports of grain and grain products from Russia and Belarus, but these measures do not completely block transit through the territory of the European Union to third countries.

Earlier, USM reported that Latvia is urgently introducing border control of grain cargoes from third countries.