Posted on November 17, 2021

In Rare Phone Call, Merkel and Lukashenko Discuss Help for Refugees

Reuters, November 15, 2021

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Belarus’ leader Alexander Lukashenko held a phone call on Monday to discuss humanitarian aid for refugees and migrants stranded at the EU-Belarus border, a German government spokesperson said.

The rare phone followed a decision by the European Union to step up sanctions against Belarus, which denounced as “absurd” Western accusations that it was driving a migrant crisis {snip}

“The Chancellor and Mr. Lukashenko spoke about the difficult situation on the border between Belarus and the European Union – especially about the need for humanitarian aid for the refugees and migrants there,” German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said {snip}

Merkel and Lukashenko agreed to continue their exchange on these issues {snip}

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