“We want to live in peace with you. We have always been friends with you and we want to co-exist amicably,” the Belarusian leader emphasized. “You bought tanks from the Koreans. Ok. Why do you crow about your anti-Russia stance? Why Russia? You don't share border with Russia, you border with Belarus. Do you plant to fight with Kaliningrad? I don't advise it. And you know that it's impossible. That is why your policy is insane in this respect.”
Answering the question about challenges in the field of illegal migration, Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that Poland had imposed sanctions against Belarus at the behest of the European Union and the United States, despite close business ties of Polish business.
“What are sanctions? It's a stranglehold on my people and me. It's a noose around my neck. You put a noose around my neck. And you want me to defend you? I said frankly: “Guys, I will not defend you, because you are strangling my people. Sanctions are first of all against the people,” the president said.
Moreover, in 2020 Belarus saw a direct interference in the electoral process and also the attempts to break up the country which were directed from Poland.
Dwelling on the topic of the situation on the border, Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that Poland had built a fence to allegedly protect itself from migrants. While it is small fraction of migrants from the total flow choose the route via Belarus to get to the EU. “You kill them and bury them in the forest. Journalists are not allowed access there,” the head of state pointed out.
“Total corruption, lies. Do you know how long does it take migrants to get over your fence? 10 minutes under, 15 minutes through. They pay good money to your border guards. They [border guards] just turn away. That's your policy. What complaints do you have against me? That's your policy. What's your beef with me? We have waived visas for Poles. We're open to you. But you don't let your people come to us. Because you are afraid that they will learn the truth about Belarus: that Belarusians love Poles, that they treat them kindly, as neighbor, that Belarus is a tolerant, kind, beautiful country,” the president said.
“Why are you looking at us through the barrel of a gun or the scope of a machine gun? We're not going to attack you. Why should we? It's not like we can beat you. But you should also know that you will never beat us. Even if we didn't have Russia, nuclear weapons or anything else. This is our land,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.
“Aleksander Kwasniewski, former president [of Poland] recently said a clever thought about Poland’s importance for the United States: if you think that you will always have the U.S. protection and will always be friends with the United States, you are mistaken. It'll be like Ukraine. A new government comes in and you will be left alone with your own interests. But your geography will not change. You will live with us forever. With Russia, with us, with the Baltic states. You don’t have very good relations with Lithuania either. And with Ukraine. We see it. Why do you want it? Do you want to be a bulwark of the USA in Europe? A big mistake. Poles will not support this policy,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
He once again urged Poland to live amicably: “If you want things to be good, then lift the sanctions and we will cooperate.”
The head of state also voiced a very specific warning: “You have a complicated situation. You’ve had a falling out with Germans. There are very serious problems over there. And with us. Do you want to fight on two fronts? You are ready to penetrate Western Ukraine. Don’t try. You will have to deal with Belarus and with Russia then. Don’t get involved in Ukraine. Western Ukraine is Ukraine. It will never be Poland anymore. Just like Western Belarus.”
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