US Gives 'strong' Backing To Poland Against Belarus

Washington, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Nov, 2021 ) :President Joe Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, informed his Polish counterpart Wednesday of "strong" US support for Poland in its tussle with Belarus over migrants trapped on the two countries' border.

Sullivan "conveyed strong support for Poland in the face of the (Belarussian President Alexander) Lukashenko regime's actions that created a migration crisis," a White House statement said.

In a call between Sullivan and Polish National Security Bureau Chief Pawel Soloch, the Biden aide also emphasized "strong bilateral cooperation on defense issues and welcomed ongoing efforts to strengthen NATO's deterrence posture," the statement said.

"They also exchanged views on Russian military activities near Ukraine." Poland accuses Belarus of deliberately stoking a political and human rights crisis by luring desperate migrants -- mostly from the middle East -- with promises of easy entry to Poland and the European Union.

Belarus denies this, while Poland says that Belarussian backer Russia is also participating in an attempt to destabilize the European Union.

On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch said Belarussian border guards are abusing migrants to the point of torture, but also said Poland is part of "serious human rights violations."