Poland, Lithuania, Latvia Ready To Stop Railway Traffic With Belarus

Deputy head of the Polish Interior Ministry has explained the conditions of the border ultimatum to Lukashenka.

Poland is ready to open checkpoints on the border with Belarus, if Aliaksandr Lukashenka makes concessions. This was stated by Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Wonsik on TVPinfo, commenting on the results of consultations of the Polish Interior Ministry with the Baltic States on Monday.

"Let's see how Belarus, or the regime represented by Lukashenka, will behave," Wonsik said.

On Monday, the interior ministers of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia demanded in a joint statement from Belarus to withdraw mercenaries of the PMC Wagner, as well as to withdraw migrants from the border and send them to their countries of origin. They also agreed to close the border with Belarus in case of critical incidents, which could be the use of weapons or the breakthrough of a group of migrants.

Wonsik, responding to a question from the host, admitted that he expects Minsk's policy to soften.

"I hope for a softening in many dimensions, not only in migration policy, but also in showing of muscles. There should not be a group of criminals supported by Lukashenka, the Wagner group or part of it, standing behind our border, willing to do anything. These are people with combat experience, with experience in killing. We expect Lukashenka to get rid of these people. This is also a certain problem in the long run for Lukashenka, because if they don't like something in Belarus (the Belarusian army is weak), they can simply go to Minsk, as they went to Moscow. It will be much easier for them, especially since they stand closer to Minsk than they did to Moscow," he added.

Wonsik added that the issue also concerns migration policy. The pressure on the border should be reduced.

"If Belarus doesn't want to be isolated, it should start co-operating. This, obviously, should be paid back to Belarus. Maybe we will open some of the border crossings that are closed now. But if there is no cooperation and reaction from the other side, then at some point all three countries, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, will close all the border crossings, not only the road, but also the railway ones, and Belarus will actually be cut off from Europe," said Maciej Wonsik.