Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has threatened to cut gas supply to Europe after the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) discussed imposing further sanctions against his regime over the ongoing migration crisis.
Currently, thousands of migrants from Iraq, Syria, and Yemen are camping at the Poland-Belarus border in freezing temperatures, hoping to enter Europe. Poland claims that around 450 migrants tried to illegally enter the country by either cutting razor wire or using logs to bend down fences. The Polish government has deployed thousands of troops to its border to push the migrants back to Belarus.
On Wednesday, the EU and the US accused Belarus of weaponising migrants to retaliate against the bloc, calling it inhumane and unacceptable. Both sides also discussed imposing sanctions on Belarusian airline Belavia for facilitating human trafficking and on at least 30 Belarusian officials for intentionally creating a migration crisis. The fresh package of sanctions could come into effect as early as next week. The EU is also considering sanctions on Russian airline Aeroflot for flying migrants to Belarus.
Moreover, to aid Europe’s effort to counter the migrant surge, Turkey’s national carrier, Turkish Airlines, said it would restrict the sale of one-way tickets to Minsk for citizens of Syria, Iraq, and Yemen and monitor flights headed to Belarus. Similarly, Iraq said it is organising repatriation flights to bring back Iraqi nationals from Belarus.
However, Belarus has denied the allegations, saying it is just a host country and that the migrants are exercising their right to seek asylum anywhere. On Thursday, Lukashenko said, “If they impose additional sanctions on us...we must respond. We are heating Europe, and they are threatening us.” He was referring to the Russian gas pipeline, which runs through Belarus before entering the EU. Lukashenko added, “And what if we halt natural gas supplies? Therefore, I would recommend the leadership of Poland, Lithuanians and other empty-headed people to think before speaking.”
Lukashenko’s threat to cut energy supplies has created new tensions within the bloc amid natural gas shortage and soaring electricity prices. The EU has been struggling with high energy prices and the pressure it has put on vulnerable populations.
Nevertheless, the EU’s economy commissioner, Paolo Gentiloni, said the member states should not be intimidated. Likewise, Belarusian opposition leader, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who is currently living in exile in Lithuania, said, “It would be more harmful for him, for Belarus, than for the European Union and I can suppose it’s bluffing.”
On the contrary, Katja Yafimava, from the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, urged European nations to take Lukashenko’s threat seriously, positing, “If the EU pushes Belarus too hard, it may act on this threat.”
Belarus President Lukashenko Threatens to Cut Gas to Europe Amid Migration Crisis
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko warned the European Union against imposing further sanctions on his regime over the migration crisis and threatened to cut gas supply amid soaring energy prices.
November 12, 2021
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko IMAGE SOURCE: EURONEWS