Alexander Lukashenko Says Poland-Belarus Refugee Crisis May be Resolved by Year-End
14:52 GMT 30.11.2021 (Updated: 10:50 GMT 06.04.2023)
© AP Photo / Leonid Shcheglov
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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko gave an interview to RIA Novosti on Tuesday, touching upon some of the most pressing issues of European political agenda, including the ongoing migration crisis on the Belarusian-Polish border, NATO's expansion to the east and its assistance to Ukraine.
On Migration Crisis on Belarus-Poland Border
Minsk will try to resolve the issue with refugees on the Belarusian-Polish border until the end of the year, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
"I told her [German Acting Chancellor Angela Merkel] straight away … I will try to solve this problem before the New Year because we do not need it. People [migrants] are now in Minsk, now in Grodno," Lukashenko said.
According to Lukashenko, Belarus will ask migrants who are there legally "to go back because we have no humanitarian corridor."
The Belarusian president mentioned that over 1,000 Iraqis have already left Belarus.
According to Lukashenko, Belarus will ask migrants who are there legally "to go back because we have no humanitarian corridor."
The Belarusian president mentioned that over 1,000 Iraqis have already left Belarus.
The European Union’s refusal to build refugee camps and sanctions became reasons for the migration crisis on Belarusian borders, Lukashenko believes.
He mentioned that Minsk and Brussels had a readmission agreement in the past and Belarus took back migrants if they appear in the EU via its territory and placed them in camps.
He mentioned that Minsk and Brussels had a readmission agreement in the past and Belarus took back migrants if they appear in the EU via its territory and placed them in camps.
"They [the EU] had to build the camps, and they began to build, and then they stopped. And I stopped taking them from there," Lukashenko said.
The Belarusian president added that the EU broke the readmission agreement first and then imposed sanctions against Minsk.
"I honestly told them about this at the very beginning: guys, you went to aggravate relations. You accuse us of this plane [the Ryanair incident]. Although not a single fact was presented," Lukashenko added.
"I honestly told them about this at the very beginning: guys, you went to aggravate relations. You accuse us of this plane [the Ryanair incident]. Although not a single fact was presented," Lukashenko added.
Lukashenko said that the country has spent about $25 million on aid to refugees on the border with Poland.
"Twelve and a half million dollars was paid, as of a week ago ... Now it will be twice as much," Lukashenko said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
He clarified that this refers to the costs of providing migrants with food, treatment, heating. At the same time, the president expressed the opinion that international assistance to refugees who are now in the transport and logistics centre near the Belarusian-Polish border could be more significant than now. "The World Health Organization sent some stockings, pads, diapers or whatever," he said.
On NATO Manoeuvres in the Baltic States and Ukraine
Amid NATO manoeuvres in the Baltic and in Ukraine, Minsk has a plan and combat units to respond to attempts to start a conflict, Lukashenko said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
"So they started these manoeuvres in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine. What should I do as commander-in-chief? I should not succumb to these provocations, but I must foresee what will happen so that it does not happen, as it was in 1941," he said.
"Therefore, I have to have plans and units, divisions of the Belarusian army that will react to any attempt to create a conflict here. On the border of the Baltic states, Poland and Ukraine..." Lukashenko said.
Minsk will propose to Moscow to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus if similar NATO systems appear in Poland, the Belarusian President added.
Earlier in November, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance may move nuclear weapons to the eastern European countries if Germany refuses to deploy them.
Lukashenko said that Minsk and Moscow will come to an agreement on what kind of systems to deploy.
"The nuclear weapon that will be most effective in such contact. We are ready for this on the territory of Belarus," he said.
Lukashenko said that Minsk and Moscow will come to an agreement on what kind of systems to deploy.
"The nuclear weapon that will be most effective in such contact. We are ready for this on the territory of Belarus," he said.
On the Status of Crimea
Crimea de facto and de jure became a part of Russia after a referendum, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told Ria Novosti in an interview.
"We all understood that Crimea is de facto Russian Crimea. After the referendum, Crimea became Russian de jure," Lukashenko said.
He added that he plans to visit Crimea and agreed on it with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We have a definite agreement with Putin that we will spend time in Crimea," Lukashenko said, adding that he has been invited to the peninsula.
"We have a definite agreement with Putin that we will spend time in Crimea," Lukashenko said, adding that he has been invited to the peninsula.
11 November 2021, 11:50 GMT
Lukashenko also said that he wants to start his trip to Crimea from Sevastopol.
“We talked about this [the trip to Crimea] three times [with Putin]. And he has to decide for himself when the time would be more convenient … I told him ill come when you invite me” he said.
Lukashenko added that his trip to Crimea would mean its recognition as part of Russia by Minsk.
“If the president has already arrived there [in Crimea] … With the president of Russia. Listen, what other recognition can there be?!" Lukashenko said.
“We talked about this [the trip to Crimea] three times [with Putin]. And he has to decide for himself when the time would be more convenient … I told him ill come when you invite me” he said.
Lukashenko added that his trip to Crimea would mean its recognition as part of Russia by Minsk.
“If the president has already arrived there [in Crimea] … With the president of Russia. Listen, what other recognition can there be?!" Lukashenko said.
