A large number of migrants have gathered near the border to move from Belarus, the former Soviet Union, to Poland, a member state of the EU-European Union, but thousands have been lost due to the lack of cross-borders.
The EU side is considering new sanctions because Belarus is intentionally trying to send immigrants, and the conflict between Belarus and its backing Russia and the EU side is deepening.
A large number of immigrants, believed to have come from the Middle East, are gathering near the border with Poland in western Belarus.
However, the Polish side has tightened border control and thousands of people have lost their place to cross the border, and in the footage from the site, many tents are set up in the severe cold and young children can be seen. increase.
Local media reports that some people have died from hypothermia so far.
On this issue, the EU is considering new sanctions, accusing Belarus of deliberately trying to cross the border into EU member states in order to counter the sanctions imposed so far.
In response, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko strongly restrained the EU on the 11th of this month, suggesting the possibility of stopping the natural gas that is being carried from Russia through Belarus to the EU side.
In addition, Russia, which is the backing of Belarus, has shown its stance to cooperate with Belarus by dispatching strategic bombers to the airspace of Belarus to carry out patrols and starting joint military exercises.
The confrontation between Belarus, Russia and the EU has deepened following this issue of immigration.
Poland deploys soldiers and strengthens security
Many immigrants have gathered near the border between Poland and Belarus, and tensions are rising on the Polish side, with 15,000 soldiers deployed to prevent entry and strengthen border security.
In a series of footage posted on Twitter this week by the Polish Ministry of Defense, migrants are being driven back by soldiers trying to break a wire fence along the border, and numerous tents are set up in the forest. You can see it, and you can see a young child.
According to Polish authorities, 122 people were detained illegally across the border from Belarus to Poland last year.
However, there have been more than 28,500 attempts to illegally cross the border on the Polish side from August to the end of last month.
Poland will begin installing a 2.5 meter high wire fence this August and plans to build a 5.5 meter high wall by next summer.
Poland's Prime Minister Morawiecki has accused Belarus of deliberately sending immigrants on the 10th as "state terrorism" to destabilize the EU.
EU "Using humans as a tool for political purposes"
The issue of immigration was explained to the European Parliament on the 10th of this month by Senior Representative Borrell, Foreign Minister of the EU-European Union.
"It is clear that Belarusian authorities are using humans as tools for political purposes," said Borrell, who deliberately gathered migrants in Belarus and crossed the border to the EU. He said he was trying.
According to Senior Representative Borrell, specifically this summer, people in the Middle East and Iraq were informed that they could freely enter Europe from the border with Belarus and were brought near the border. is.
And since last month, in addition to Iraq, people from Syria and Afghanistan have been entering Belarus one after another, mainly from airports in the Middle East, using charter flights.
Borrell explained that these people would be offered a way to go to Europe with a vacation in Belarus from a travel company at a cost of $ 6,000 to $ 7,000, or about 680,000 to 800,000 yen in Japanese yen. It is said that it was.
"This is their answer to the sanctions we have imposed on Belarus.'If you impose sanctions, it will cause problems,'" said Borrell, accusing the Lukashenko administration of its response.
The EU will discuss new sanctions on Belarus at a foreign ministers' meeting starting this week.
America "Considering various means"
"I am strongly concerned that Belarus is using immigrants as a political weapon," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a news conference on Wednesday.
In addition, he said that he was "considering various means" in the future, and expressed his intention to cooperate with European allies, although he did not disclose it specifically.
Bullish Belarus in the background Russia?
In response to the EU's criticism, President Lukashenko said in July, "We are not going to hold back. They are not coming to Belarus, they are going to warm and comfortable Europe." He did not deny his point and made it clear that he was tolerating the crossing of immigrants.
Russia's backing seems to be behind the Lukashenko administration's bullish stance, and Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki criticized the issue of immigration on the 9th of this month as "the mastermind is President Putin." doing.
However, Russia has denied any involvement, and President Putin said in a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the issue should be resolved through direct talks between the EU and Belarus.