Belarus demands EU ministers attend migration conference in Minsk

According to Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhenkov, Belarus plans to host an international conference on “combating illegal migration” in November 2024, which will be attended by ministers from several European Union countries.

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko is a key ally of Russia in the war against Ukraine. He has allowed Russian troops to use Belarus as a base for the February 2022 invasion. The Lukashenko regime has provided logistical support to Russian military operations and allowed missile launches from Belarusian territory, although Belarusian troops have not fought directly in Ukraine.

As a result of Belarus’ complicity in the war, the European Union has imposed sanctions on the Lukashenko regime and significantly reduced cooperation with Belarus, as the EU considers Belarus a co-aggressor alongside Russia in the war against Ukraine.

According to the Belarusian news outlet BELTA, several ministers from European Union countries have already confirmed their participation in the conference.

The conference is intended to address Belarus’s measures to combat illegal migration. Ryzhenkov said that Belarus plans to “representatives of Belarus’ neighbors” and other EU and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) members.

Lukashenko has “directly threatened” the EU with migrant blackmail since 2021, providing context for the planned conference.

Ryzhenkov stressed Belarus’ interest in “peace, security and stability” on the European continent.

The Foreign Minister also said: “We believe that if the major powers cannot reach an agreement today, this does not mean that small and medium-sized states, such as ours, should sit back and wait.”

Of the EU foreign ministers, only Hungary’s Péter Szijjártó has visited Belarus in recent years.

Also read: