Poland, Baltic states say Belarusian leader is accomplice, supporter of Russian war on Ukraine

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Poland and the Baltic states said on Wednesday that Belarus’ leader is an accomplice and supporter of the Russian war on Ukraine.

In a joint statement marking the third anniversary of the contested 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, the foreign ministers of Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, said: “Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko clung onto power via rigged presidential elections.”

“Three years ago, on 9 August 2020, Alexander Lukashenko proclaimed himself the winner of the rigged presidential election, thereby trampling on the democratic aspirations and rights of the Belarusian people,” the statement said.

The rigged polls were followed by massive internal repression, complicity in war crimes and the crime of aggression, the erosion of Belarus’ sovereignty, as well as destabilization of the region, it added.

It continued: “Since February 2022 the Lukashenko regime has been acting as an accomplice and direct supporter of Russia's unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine.”

It also argued that Belarus continues to organize and contribute to activities that facilitate the illegal crossing of the EU's external borders of third-country nationals.

The statement urged the immediate and unconditional release and rehabilitation of all political prisoners and for the cessation of repression and complicity in Russia’s war against Ukraine.​​​​​​​