The migrant crisis in Belarus remains deadlocked. Russian President Putin relies on Germany to be willing to talk. Meanwhile, ruler Lukashenko is holding out the prospect of humanitarian aid.
In view of the crisis involving thousands of migrants on the Polish-Belarusian border, Russian President Vladimir Putin is hoping for a direct dialogue between Germany and authoritarian Belarus.
“I understood from conversations with Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko and Chancellor (Angela) Merkel that they are ready to talk to each other,” Putin said in an interview that was broadcast on Russian state television on Saturday.
Because of the crisis surrounding the migrants stranded at the EU’s external border, Merkel and Putin had spoken to each other on the phone several times. The Chancellor asked the Kremlin chief to intervene in the conflict. The Kremlin later announced that Moscow would seek a solution. The EU accuses Lukashenko, who is often criticized as the “last dictator of Europe”, of allowing migrants from crisis areas to be flown in and smuggling them further towards Poland. It is believed that the 67-year-old wants to take revenge for sanctions and force the West to enter into dialogue.
Humanitarian aid to children
Lukashenko meanwhile arranged humanitarian aid mainly for the children of the migrants stranded in the border area with Poland. The Belarusian state news agency Belta reported on Saturday that food tents should be set up. Lukashenko, however, is criticized for having brought people into this miserable situation in the first place. The EU accuses him of deliberately smuggling in migrants from crisis areas and then pushing them towards the EU’s external border.
The opposition Belarusian Telegram channel Nexta posted videos allegedly showing Belarusian security forces shooting in the air to intimidate migrants. There were also children among the people, “about whom the state propagandists are supposedly so worried,” it said. Because independent journalists are not allowed into the border area, such information cannot be verified at the moment.
With temperatures around freezing point, thousands of migrants have been waiting in makeshift camps in the forest for several days. On Saturday morning, according to Belarusian sources, several dozen people gathered right at the closed Kuznica border crossing and shouted “Germany, Germany!”. Many hope for a life in the Federal Republic.
Threats from Minsk
In view of threats from Minsk, Russian President Putin said he hoped Lukashenko would not stop gas transit in the conflict with the West. He spoke to Lukashenko twice. ÒÀÜHe didnòÀt even mention it. But he can do that. But that doesn’t lead to anything good, and of course I’ll talk to him about the subject. ” Stopping transit would also violate the agreements between Russia and Belarus. “I hope it doesn’t come to that.” A few days ago, Lukashenko threatened to stop gas transit through the Yamal-Europe pipeline.
The Kremlin underlined that Russia had nothing to do with the crisis in the border region. No Russian airline is involved in “transporting these people,” Putin said. At the same time, he accused the Polish border guards of “inhumane behavior”. Now it comes to the fact that “Polish border guards and representatives of the armed forces beat these potential migrants, shoot weapons in the air above their heads, turn on sirens and lights at night at the places where children and women are in the last months of their pregnancy”.
Source From: Stern
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