Officials speculate that the increased number of arrivals into Minsk may serve as a coordinated undertaking between Belarus and Russia to institute a renewed migrant crisis in the EU, with potentially increased levels of asylum seekers attempting to cross into Europe with the aim of destabilizing the EU.<\/p>\n
“The frequency and nature of these flights, particularly within a short timeframe, raise questions about potential coordination or facilitation of irregular migration flows,” the official told the news agency.<\/p>\n
Putin and Lukashenko instituted the tactic in the summer of 2021, ahead of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with tens of thousands of asylum seekers attempting to cross into Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia with the assistance of Belarusian authorities. <\/p>\n
Multiple EU countries instituted state of emergencies amid an attempt to block the large influx of attempted crossings. <\/p>\n
Analysts have since assessed that the influx of migrants served as a distraction for European allies as Russia amassed its troops along Ukraine’s eastern border in preparation for its full-scale invasion.<\/p>\n
The recent developments come as Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to begin face-to-face negotiations<\/strong><\/a> with U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 15 in Alaska, as Moscow demands that Kyiv cede its eastern territories in exchange for a ceasefire. European allies have rejected<\/strong><\/a> the proposal, demanding that they, along with Ukraine, directly participate<\/strong><\/a> in peace talks.<\/p>\n Neighboring EU countries to both Russia and Belarus have taken action to fortify<\/a> <\/strong>their borders following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with multiple countries in recent months withdrawing<\/strong><\/a> from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines. <\/p>\n Libya’s Haftar serves as the de facto leader of eastern Libya. Since the fall of Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad<\/strong>,<\/a> Russia has elevated relations with Haftar, ensuring a larger presence in North Africa. <\/p>\n