Merkel asked Putin to influence Lukashenko because of migrants … RIA Novosti writes about this.
Speaking to reporters on the eve of the meeting with the Prime Ministers of Latvia and Portugal, she said that she had asked the Russian leader to influence President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
Minsk uses migrants. , they become victims of inhuman politics
Angela Merkello on the migration crisis on the eastern border of the EU
Merkel stressed that the solution to the problem with migrants must be humane.
Telephone diplomacy
A Bloomberg source in the European Union said that Merkel expects another call with Putin. At the same time, according to him, the Russian leader received a “clear message” that he must first talk to Lukashenko, and then call the German Chancellor until nightfall. Moscow noted that the conversation took place on the initiative of the German side, and the heads of state agreed to continue contacts.
The official representative of the German Cabinet of Ministers, Steffen Seibert, explained why Merkel deliberately did not call Lukashenko directly, but decided to act through Russia. According to him, this is due to the fact that the Belarusian leader himself does not get in touch with the head of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Russian government has a certain influence on Minsk.
Negotiations with Putin are negotiations with whoever is listened to
Steffen Seibert
In turn, the former adviser to the FRG government, political scientist Alexander Rahr told Lenta.ru that the European Union does not want to negotiate with Lukashenka, because it considers it beneath European dignity. In his opinion, it was for this reason that Merkel asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to influence Minsk, but Moscow expressed its unwillingness to intervene in the conflict.
New problems, old solutions
The head of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen said that the European Union next week will expand sanctions against Belarus amid the migration crisis. According to her, the restrictions will affect both individuals and legal entities. Der Leyen also revealed that the United States has also prepared a new package of sanctions against the Belarusian authorities.
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It later turned out that the Russian airline Aeroflot and Turkish Airlines were under attack. The EU authorities admit that these organizations may be involved in the situation on the eastern border of the European Union. Presumably, the restriction may be introduced early next month. According to Bloomberg, the US and possibly the UK will join the sanctions.
Moscow's position
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that any sanctions against Belarus due to the migration crisis are illegitimate. She noted that the actions of the authorities of Lithuania and Poland are more like attempts to punish Belarus, and not to resolve the crisis situation.
Member of the Federation Council Alexei Pushkov spoke more critically. He assessed as meaningless the statement of the State Department that the US intends to continue to put pressure on Lukashenka because of the situation on the border with Poland.
All liberal Europe, led by Merkel, de facto welcomed the massive arrival of migrants from the Middle East in 2015, called for shelter and even demanded that the dissident countries – Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia accept refugees on the basis of special quotas. And when they refused, criticized them for this
Alexey Pushkov
He noted that the United States then welcomed the policy of accepting migrants. Now, they condemn the path followed by migrants in the EU.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Poland and Lithuania of unwillingness to solve migration problems, in the face of another influx of refugees to Europe. He also noted that Vilnius and Warsaw did not turn to Moscow for help in resolving migration issues with Minsk.
The migration crisis on the border of Belarus and the EU began after President Lukashenko threatened to weaken control over the flow of refugees and drug trafficking. This happened against the backdrop of another aggravation of relations between Minsk and the West.