Poland: Merkel’s conversation with Lukashenko ‘not a good move’

Poland has criticized attempts to mediate by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron in the refugee crisis at the Polish-Belarus border.

Government spokesman Peter Mueller told public broadcaster TVP today that the government in Warsaw was informed in advance of Merkel’s phone call with Belarusian Governor Alexander Lukashenko and Macron’s conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mueller added that he personally questioned the conversation because it was “in a way his acceptance of his choice.” “I understand the situation, but I don’t think it’s a good move.”

Merkel had called Lukashenko on Monday evening due to the need. According to a report broadcast by Belarusian state television, the conversation lasted nearly 50 minutes. This is Merkel’s first conversation with the governor since the controversial presidential election on August 9 last year in Belarus. The European Union does not recognize Lukashenko as president.

Thousands of people are waiting in makeshift camps

With temperatures approaching freezing point, thousands of people waited at the border in makeshift camps for several days. According to the Belarusian state agency BELTA, Lukashenko ordered the establishment of a night camp at the storage facilities of a logistics company in the Grodno region near the border.

The European Union accuses Lukashenko of bringing refugees from crisis regions to the EU’s external borders in an organized manner to put pressure on them. He is suspected of wanting to retaliate against EU sanctions.