Ukraine will strengthen protection of border with Belarus - president

11.11.2021 10:59

Ukrinform

Ukraine will strengthen security on its border with Belarus due to migration challenges, but this will not affect the border crossing procedure for Belarusian citizens, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

He said this in a video address to Ukrainians, published on the Facebook page of the head of state, Ukrinform reports.

"Today [on November 10] a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council was held. The first issue was to strengthen our security, our state border due to the situation in Belarus. I want to note that this will not affect the crossing of the border by Belarusian citizens. We are talking only about migration challenges and threats. Our country is ready to solve and overcome them," Zelensky said.

Earlier, NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said at a briefing after the meeting that the National Security and Defense Council had considered the situation with the placement of migrants breaking through Belarus to Europe and possible risks to Ukraine.

Relevant agencies have been instructed on how to proceed.

On November 9, two large groups of migrants broke through the border from Belarus to Poland, but Polish border guards managed to bring them back to the border line.

The migration crisis on the Belarusian-Polish border has been going on since August. Poland accuses Belarus of deliberately creating migratory pressure on Poland and the EU.

According to Polish border guards, up to 4,000 people seeking to enter the EU have stayed near the Polish border since November 8. Today, Poland's border with Belarus is defended by about 13,000 service members from four army divisions.

German MP Nils Schmid proposed that the EU ask Ukraine for help in accommodating migrants who are breaking through Belarus to Europe.