Putin denies stoking Poland border crisis, offers to help

Bloomberg

President Vladimir Putin said Russia isn’t behind the migrant crisis playing out at the Poland-Belarus border, but instead is ready to help resolve it.
Speaking to Rossiya-1 TV Channel on Sunday, Putin said he learned about developments in the border region from media reports.
“We are ready to contribute to this in every possible way, if of course, something depends on us,” Putin said.
Poland has accused the Kremlin of masterminding the artificial flow of thousands of people from countries including Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan onto the border, hoping to cross into the EU.
Putin’s economic and
political backing allowed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to weather mass demonstrations against his 27-year rule in 2020, as well as US and EU sanctions imposed after his brutal crackdown on the
opposition. It’s unlikely Lukashenko makes many bold decisions without the blessing of his Kremlin ally.
The leader has since upped the ante against the west, using migrants as a weapon and threatening to block the transit of natural gas supplies from Russia to the European Union.
Writing in the Telegraph, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Russia bears “clear responsibility” for the border situation and should put pressure on Minsk to end the current standoff.
According to her, the unfolding situation with migrants was carefully orchestrated.
“This carefully crafted crisis is an attempt to divert attention away from the litany of abhorrent acts and human rights violations that the regime has already committed,” Truss said of the Belarusian government.
In Sunday’s interview Putin rejected the accusations: “We have absolutely nothing to do with this, just absolutely. It’s just a desire to transfer problems from a sick head to a healthy one.”
Belarusian foreign minister Vladimir Makei spoke on Sunday with EU high representative Josep Borrell, the ministry said on its website.
According to the release, the pair discussed the “difficult migration situation” at the border of Belarus and EU. Belarus said it was ready for “mutually respectful” dialogue.
In a tweet after the call, Borrell said the current situation “must stop. People should not be used as weapons.”
Poland fears an attempt by migrants to break through border controls. Belarus TV on Sunday showed images of Red Cross personnel distributing food and water inside large tents, possibly signaling a more permanent migrant presence at the border. Belarus estimates some 2,000 migrants are currently camped in the area.