#Lukashenko

Belarusian journalist

01 Mar 2022 7 4

Federica Infantino

Inserted 2 years ago

“We are witnessing the reluctance of many European leaders at making any kind of deal with Lukashenko. I don't see the EU funding Belarus to keep migrants like in other cases.”

Migration policy fellow at the European University Institute (EUI)

24 Nov 2021 5 2

Vladimir Sotnikov

Inserted 2 years ago

“Probably, [a] solution could be.. [for the] EU [to] accept President Lukashenko as a legitimate president, and then Lukashenko could start negotiations with the EU just to defuse the crisis and to have a compromise.”

Political scientist from the Russian Academy of Sciences

19 Nov 2021 4 2

Bram Frouws

Inserted 2 years ago

“With von der Leyen calling it a hybrid attack, I think that's exactly what Lukashenko was hoping for. Even though we are talking about a few refugees and migrants trying to get access to Europe, the language is all about war stemming from political panic. The moment you start referring to refugees and migrants as bargaining chips and as weapons of people being instrumentalised, it strips away their agency and dehumanises people.”

Head of the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) monitoring group

17 Nov 2021 7 1

Gustav Gressel

Inserted 2 years ago

“Lukashenko's rhetoric, the visa policy and the sudden influx of migrants this summer all point to the involvement of the Belarusian state and travel agencies.”

Nytimes

Senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations

13 Nov 2021 5 2

Heiko Maas

Inserted 2 years ago

“Lukashenko …unscrupulously exploits people seeking refuge as hostages for his cynical power play… But the European Union cannot be blackmailed.”

Germany Foreign Minister

10 Nov 2021 3 4

Ylva Johansson

Inserted 2 years ago

“An open and frank discussion with Polish Minister of the Interior Mariusz Kamiński on the situation at the Polish - Belarus border. The desperation of the Lukashenko regime is clear. As is their lack of respect for vulnerable people. The aggression from the Lukashenko regime deserves a firm and united response from EU. Poland, as a strong EU Member State, can show that the capacity to protect the border can be matched with the ability to respect EU fundamental rights and obligations.”

EU Commissioner for Home Affairs

30 Sep 2021 10 9

Josep Borrell

Inserted 2 years ago

“Reassured to see that the athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya arrived safe in Poland. One more proud Belarusian has however been forced to flee her own country due to the actions of the Lukashenko regime and Olympic truce been violated.”

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

05 Aug 2021 3 2

Franak Viačorka

Inserted 2 years ago

“Raman Pratasevich appeared at the press conference of Lukashenka's MFA on the situation with Ryanair. No matter what he says, let's not forget: he is a hostage. And the regime is using him as a trophy.”

Senior Advisor to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

14 Jun 2021 4 2

Artyom Shraybman

Inserted 2 years ago

“These fabrications are little more than a campaign to justify himself. There is no bigger strategic motive. On occasions when the Kremlin stands to gain from the disinformation Minsk puts out, Lukashenka is demonstrating loyalty to Moscow in a tactic to win support. Because the more anti-Western he is, the more irreplaceable he becomes.”

Belarusian political analyst

27 May 2021 3 2

Abbas Gallyamov

Inserted 2 years ago

“Putin benefits [from the unsubstantiated response of Belarus president Lukashenka]. As the world watches Lukashenka lose his marbles, the Russian president looks like a completely adequate and upstanding leader. In fact it so benefits Putin that I wouldn't be surprised if he encourages it.”

Political analyst and former Kremlin speechwriter

27 May 2021 5 3

Stsiapan Putsila

Inserted 2 years ago

“We are asking for sanctions and further pressure on the regime, because Lukashenko is only afraid of force. We ask for individual sanctions, economic sanctions and sanctions against the state company exporting potash to the European Union.”

Balkaninsight

Founder of the Warsaw-based anti-government Nexta news outlet

27 May 2021 4 2

Vladimir Putin

Inserted 2 years ago

“You can have your own opinion of Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's policy. But the practice of staging coups d'état and planning political assassinations, including those of high-ranking officials -- well, this goes too far.”

Russian president

21 Apr 2021 3 2

Abbas Gallyamov

Inserted 3 years ago

“You can’t just wave off the events in Belarus. [Lukashenka] is acting in the same way Putin acts in similar situations. And if in Belarus an uprising turned out to be possible, then you can’t count out a Russian uprising in 2024.”

Political analyst and former Kremlin speechwriter

29 Dec 2020 2 2

Emmanuel Macron

Inserted 3 years ago

“We are witnessing a power crisis in Belarus with an authoritarian administration that is not able to accept the logic of democracy. It is clear that Lukashenko must go.”

Reuters

President of France

26 Sep 2020 2 3

Josep Borrell

Inserted 3 years ago

“This 'inauguration' directly contradicts the will of large parts of the Belarusian population, as expressed in numerous, unprecedented, and peaceful protests since the elections, and serves to only further deepen the political crisis in Belarus.”

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

24 Sep 2020 1 3

Daragh McDowell

Inserted 3 years ago

“The IT sector has been repeatedly undermined with the internet shutdowns to disrupt the protesters. We've also seen a lot of strikes in the state-owned sector as well. So the Belarussian economy is really on the brink. The people have lost their fear of Lukashenko, he's lost a lot of his authority. No matter how many riot police he's deployed to the streets, it just hasn't stopped people from continuing to come out.”