Rail Baltica could be used for defensive military purposes

Published connected 12/06/2025 - 16:13 GMT+2•Updated 25/06/2025 - 15:01 GMT+2

After years of delays, operation connected the 870-kilometre railway enactment done Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia is present gathering momentum. The Rail Baltica task is gathering 1 of the astir modern high-speed lines successful Europe. With the Russian warfare of aggression against Ukraine, utilizing the caller NATO-standard enactment for subject purposes is becoming progressively important.

Europe is increasing together—and truthful is its cross-border transport infrastructure. Nine EU main transport corridors are to beryllium completed by 2030 according to the European Commission's plan. The Baltic states are important for connecting the North Sea to the Baltic Sea, but besides for the north-south corridors to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

In Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, tracks inactive person the aged Russian wide gauge. The caller enactment volition person the European modular gauge. There are besides geopolitical reasons for this alteration of gauge. In the lawsuit of a Russian attack, Rail Baltica should beryllium capable to transport troops and dense subject instrumentality from westbound to east. But the main extremity of the caller enactment is to amended the transportation betwixt the Baltic cities and the European azygous market: accelerated question for tourists, concern radical and freight. 

The problem? The costs person quadrupled, from six to an estimated 24 cardinal euros. According to the European Commission, it's excessively expensive. Baltic auditors person besides issued a warning. According to the associated three-country audit, determination is simply a backing spread of eleven cardinal euros. 

For the clip being, determination volition truthful beryllium a pared-down “economy route”, wherever alternatively of a treble way throughout, it volition mostly person a azygous track. Fewer sound barriers volition beryllium erected, the way furniture volition beryllium built somewhat little than primitively planned, and subdivision lines volition initially support the existing wide gauge. This volition prevention respective cardinal euros.

The European Union is backing up to 85 percent of Rail Baltica from its Connecting Europe Facility backing pot. This is the EU's fund enactment for promoting cross-border transport infrastructure. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are paying for the rest.

A fierce fiscal conflict is raging down the scenes. At the opening of the year, 10 EU heads of authorities sent a missive to the EU Commission requesting much wealth for cross-border transport networks—and less requirements. This was followed conscionable a fewer weeks aboriginal by a 2nd missive on the aforesaid lines, this clip signed by the heads of authorities of the 3 Baltic states.

Rail Baltica was really meant to beryllium finished this year. But determination is astatine slightest a five-year delay! Now determination is speech of it being finished successful 2030. What are the reasons for the dilatory gait and exploding costs? In inheritance discussions, the problems of the past are clear:

• Conflicting nationalist interests
• Chaotic fiscal readying by governments
• Mismanagement of immoderate ministries

Things are present going amended due to the fact that the European Commission is putting unit connected the project. Where operation is underway, for illustration connected Neris Bridge successful Lithuania, enactment is progressing. In the Lithuanian superior Vilnius, I met Marius Narmontas, 1 of the apical managers of the three-country associated task Rail Baltica. How does helium explicate the several-year delays? “Planning and designing the way took longer than expected”, said Narmontas, “because we person ne'er had specified a ample task before.” A batch depends connected the European Commission and however they volition negociate the adjacent financing period”, helium continued. 

In the Latvian superior Riga, Guntis Āboltiņš-Āboliņš, manager of the operation institution Bererix, warned of a imaginable information risk: “From a subject constituent of view, tanks could beryllium loaded onto the railway successful Russia and beryllium successful Riga successful a fewer hours! That’s wherefore I deliberation we should attack this strategically.” Āboltiņš-Āboliņš believes it would beryllium omniscient to rapidly person the full obstruction web from Russian wide gauge to European modular gauge.

Catherine Trautmann coordinates the North Sea-Baltic transport corridor for the EU. She emphasised that the main connection, “the backbone of Rail Baltica”, should beryllium built arsenic rapidly arsenic possible. Trautmann is optimistic: “Rail Baltica is simply a task that justifies European funding. We person a gathering with the European Investment Bank successful autumn, due to the fact that a indebtedness could besides beryllium a solution.” Will the trains tally successful 2030, yes oregon no? Trautmann’s reply is clear: “Yes!”