"What we hear today is worse than the Cold War because it divides the sovereignty of Russia. We will never agree to the division of the sovereignty of Russia," Putin told a summit of Baltic heads of government in St. Petersburg.
Kaliningrad, formerly East Prussia, is cut off from the rest of Russia by Poland and Lithuania, who are preparing to introduce a visa requirement for Kaliningrad residents when they join the European Union as expected in 2004.
European prime ministers reiterated June 10 their proposal to inaugurate special cheap and long-term multi-entry visas for Kaliningrad's 1 million residents, allowing them to travel easily to mainland Russia.
However, Putin flatly rejected the plan, calling instead for transit "corridors" providing access to Russia through Poland and Lithuania under a scheme akin to those linking West Berlin to West Germany during the Cold War.
"I am sure this problem can be solved. The easiest solution would be to set up the same system as the one that existed during the 1970s between West Berlin and the rest of Germany," the Russian leader said.
"Even during the Cold War, we were able to find a solution," Putin told the Council of Baltic Sea States summit.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder offered partial support to the Russian leader, saying that "the European Union and Poland must take into account the expectations of Russia."
He said the Kaliningrad issue had to be solved without creating "a psychological problem for Russia."
The poor, AIDS-ridden exclave, formerly the ancient port of Koenigsberg, was part of Germany prior to World War II and was seized by the Soviet Union in 1945.
Schroeder failed to endorse the Russian leader's proposal to set up transit corridors, saying that the issue of the transit of Kaliningrad residents through countries surrounding the exclave to travel to mainland Russia should be solved without adopting a West Berlin type solution.
"We have to show that it is possible to insure satisfying travel conditions (for Kaliningrad residents) without going back to the situation of West Berlin and the Cold War," Schroeder said. "Anyone who knew the situation of West Berlin knows how difficult it was."
The Kaliningrad dispute has been a major stumbling block in relations between Russia and its European partners, with the European Union holding firm that its rules cannot allow Russians visa-free travel through EU territory.
Russia fears its million or so nationals living in Kaliningrad, which is half the size of Belgium, will be cut off if a visa regime is applied.
Putin asked Baltic state leaders to take an understanding view of Russia's fear of losing its strategic Kaliningrad exclave in the upcoming expansion of the European Union.
"Russia will do its utmost to guarantee totally the rights of its citizens living in Kaliningrad," Putin told the Baltic leaders.
"We are counting on the understanding of our European partners concerning the unique character of this territory. Closing borders is not a solution, we must find another way."
The Kaliningrad dispute spoiled last month's Russia-EU summit in Moscow, in which the European Union at last granted Russia market economy status, and dominated the Baltic summit.
"Let me say once more that we want a right for Russian citizens (living in Kaliningrad) to cross the borders of states that are set to join the European Union," said Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov.
The Kaliningrad dispute will be a key topic of the next European Union summit in Seville, Spain, on June 21-22, where both sides will hope to break the stalemate that characterized last month's Russia-EU summit.
Putin held separate talks with Schroeder, Swedish Prime Minister Goeran Persson and Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma.
The CBSS was set up in 1992 and comprises 12 members: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the European Commission, as well as Iceland and Norway, although the latter two are not Baltic Sea countries.
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