US urges its citizens to leave Belarus urgently, Poland ready to help
US urges its citizens to leave Belarus urgently, Poland ready to help (Getty Images)
Warsaw allows United States citizens, previously urged to urgently leave the territory of Belarus, to enter Poland, according to the Polish Border Guard.
"In response to the US Embassy's urgent appeal for US citizens to leave the territory of Belarus, the Polish Border Guard inform that they may enter Poland through the border crossing in Terespol," the statement reads.
Background
The United States urges Americans not to enter Belarus due to the fact that the Belarusian regime is facilitating an unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine. Among other arguments:
- The buildup of Russian Armed Forces in Belarus;
- Arbitrary enforcement of local laws;
- Risk of civil unrest;
- Risk of detainment;
- Limited ability of the Embassy to assist U.S. citizens.
Meanwhile, Lithuania decided to temporarily close two out of six border crossing points on the border with Belarus in response to shifts in the geopolitical situation and threats to national security. The Minister of Internal Affairs of Lithuania, Agnė Bilotaitė, does not exclude the possibility of closing the border with Russia.
Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki and the President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda acknowledge the risk of Wagner Group provocations at the NATO states' border.
