Events

15 Nov 2025

Meeting on EU border situation held on Lukashenko's instructions

MINSK, 15 November (BelTA) - A meeting to discuss the situation at the border with the European Union member states was held under the leadership of Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin and State Secretary of Belarus’ Security Council Aleksandr Volfovich. The meeting was convened on the instructions of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, BelTA learned from Belarus’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting was also attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov, head of the State Border Committee Konstantin Molostov, chief of the State Customs Committee Vladimir Orlovsky and head of the State Security Committee Ivan Tertel.

“The participants thoroughly discussed the current state and potential developments of the border situation, noting that the existing situation does not serve the interests of either Belarus or the European Union,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ruslan Varankov told journalists. “Belarus consistently calls on its European neighbors to restore the previous border operation regime in the interests of ordinary citizens and cross-border cooperation.”

“Against this backdrop, we welcome the decision by the Republic of Poland to reopen the two previously closed checkpoints on the Belarusian-Polish border for the movement of people, vehicles, and goods,” Ruslan Varankov said. “This decision will have a positive impact, primarily on cross-border trade.”

The MFA statement notes that this step demonstrates Poland's constructive approach aimed primarily at addressing the concerns of its own citizens.

“Unfortunately, we do not observe a similar approach from the Lithuanian authorities, who continue to ignore the interests of their own citizens,” Ruslan Varankov noted.

“We are convinced that Poland's decision is just the first step towards developing our bilateral ties. Experience shows that increased interpersonal contacts inevitably lead to, and sometimes even precede, stronger political cooperation," Ruslan Varankov summarized.