BREST, 19 March (BelTA) – The behavior of Western countries resembles self-isolation, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov said during a visit to the Brest and Kozlovichi border checkpoints on the Belarusian-Polish border on 19 March, BelTA has learned.
According to Maxim Ryzhenkov, Belarus is ready for a more substantive dialogue with its western neighbors. “So far, we only see them willing to engage in technical dialogue at the level of border officials, addressing particular issues. But as you know, resolving issues of such scale, like returning checkpoints to normal, pre-pandemic operations and reopening others that remain closed, requires more substantive consultations at a higher level. We are ready for this and urge the Polish side to act. The ball is in their court now,” Maxim Ryzhenkov said.
At the same time, the foreign minister emphasized that time is working against the West. “Every day this situation draws Belarus closer to the Eurasian vector,” he said, illustrating his point with an example. Previously, a large number of Belarusian citizens traveled to Western Europe for vacations, shopping, and sightseeing. Now the situation looks different. “Given the border regime our neighbors have established, various restrictions, constant ‘surprises’ (the border may close, they may not service it for half a day), people waste much time on the border, cannot reach airports or booked hotels on time. There is a massive shift in both passenger and cargo flows. We are being forced to find alternative routes,” Maxim Ryzhenkov stated.
The foreign minister emphasized that the shortest and best route from east to west and back passes through Belarus. “In fact, the European vector is our common one. But what do we have today? It’s easier for a resident of Brest to board a charter flight and fly somewhere east for vacation than to stand at the border. And there are no long queues, but there is no great desire to go west for such purposes either,” he noted.
In his view, the behavior of Western countries looks like self-isolation. “By closing themselves off, they are isolating themselves from everything beyond us – all the way to China, Vietnam, India, and Central Asia. They impose sanctions against Belarus, but we can get by just fine across this vast land without them. However, for them, given the way the geopolitical situation is developing, it’s going to be very tough to ensure their own security, maintain transport links, deliver goods, and everything else,” Maxim Ryzhenkov summarized.
Follow us on:
