“I want everyone to know that. We have nothing to do with it ”, said Vladimir Putin to the Vesti chain. The Russian president was accused this week, by Western voices, of orchestrating with Minsk the sending of migrants to the eastern border of the European Union (EU).
Several thousand people wanting to join Europe, mainly from the Middle East, are stranded at the border between Belarus and Poland, in very difficult conditions.
The EU accuses Belarus of having organized this influx in response to Western sanctions. Europeans have been trying for several days to curb these movements by stopping flights to Minsk, welcoming “progress” on Friday.
Accused of being the “sponsor” of the “attack”
In his interview, Vladimir Putin said that European leaders should speak directly to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to resolve this crisis. “From what I understand, Alexander Lukashenko and [la chancelière allemande Angela] Merkel are ready to talk to each other ”, launched the Russian president. “I hope this will happen in the near future”, he added.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki earlier this week accused the Russian president of being the “Sponsor” of ” the attack “ attributed to Alexander Lukashenko.
Under pressure, Mr. Lukashenko can, for the moment, count on the support of his main ally, Vladimir Poutine. Russian and Belarusian airborne troops were conducting exercises near the Belarus-Poland border on Friday.
However, when Lukashenko threatened to shut off the floodgates of a major Russian gas pipeline, passing through its soil, to Europe, in the event of new European sanctions, Moscow was quick to assure Europeans that the deliveries would continue as normal.
Also listen How the Belarusian regime exploits migrants