Russia and Belarus step closer to unity as 4,000 illegal immigrants mass on the Belarus-Polish Border

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS - In Brief 08 Nov 2021 by Alex Teddy

On November 4 Putin and Lukashenka met to sign a road map to reintegrate the two nations. In 1999 they signed a treaty aiming at full reunion. However, Belarus has dragged its feet on this. Belarus is under Western sanctions. Belarus is desperate it has been obliged to accede to Russian demands. Belarus has no other friends willing to help. 29 programs were agreed. The Supreme State Council of the Union State was the venue for the signing. The meeting took place in Crimea. Belarus did not initially recognize Crimea as Russian. Minsk hoped to maintain reasonable relations with Kyiv. But since Kyiv has banned Belarusian flights from its airspace, Minsk does not care about mollifying the Ukrainians. Despite this Lukashenka has jailed people who called for reunification. He has attacked civic groups. The Belarusian Language Society has been outlawed.The agreements are on economics and regulation. Tax, banking, industry, farming and energy are being harmonized. There is also a combined military doctrine. However, the parliaments and courts are not mentioned. Svytlana Tsikhanouskaya claimed to have won the 2020 presidential elections. She said that Lukashenka has no lawful power to sign treaties as he is not a legitimate president.Poland and Lithuania are strengthening border security. Thousands of illegal immigrants are coming through from Belarus. Belarus has expedited illegal immigrants from Arab countries, Pakistan and various African countries going to the EU Border. Lukashenka knows that handling illegal immigration is a thorny and divisive issue for the EU. He is penalizing the EU for sanctions by sending illegal immigrants to the EU. Poland estimates there are over 1...

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