Poland seeks China’s involvement in Belarus border closure crisis
September 18, Pozirk. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski confirmed to journalists that the closure of Poland’s border with Belarus was a key topic during his September 15 meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Sikorski linked any potential reopening of the border to an end of the migration crisis, which has persisted since 2021 and is allegedly facilitated by Belarus’ security services.
The shutdown of border crossings has negatively affected China and other Asian economies, given the large volume of Chinese goods transported through Belarus to Poland and the wider European Union.
Newsweek Polska reported, citing a source in Poland’s foreign ministry, that Wang Yi hinted that Beijing would “have a frank conversation with [Alaksandar] Łukašenka” about the issue.
Since January, Belarus’ western neighbors have prevented more than 35,000 irregular border crossings by third-country nationals, with nearly 70 percent of attempts directed at Poland. Warsaw, along with Latvia and Lithuania, describes the migration crisis as a “hybrid attack” orchestrated by Minsk and Moscow.
Polish foreign ministry spokesman Paweł Wroński stressed earlier that while Warsaw does not benefit from the closure, security takes precedence over trade.
Meanwhile, nearly 1,500 Polish trucks remain stranded inside Belarus, unable to return home.
Poland closed all checkpoints along its border with Belarus on September 12, citing risks associated with the Belarusian-Russian military exercise Zapad-2025, which began the same day and concluded on September 16.
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said that the border will reopen only once Warsaw is fully assured that Belarus poses no direct threat to Poland or its citizens.
Tensions between the two countries also remain high due to Minsk’s refusal to release Polish journalist Andrzej Poczobut and the recent arrest of Grzegorz Gaweł, a Polish Carmelite monk accused by Belarusian authorities of spying for Poland.
Belarus: nearly 1,500 Polish trucks stranded after border closure
September 17, Pozirk. Amid rising tensions between Minsk and Warsaw over the Polish-Belarusian border closure, the Belarusian State Customs Committee has extended the temporary stay of Polish trucks on Belarusian territory for another 10 days. The announcement came after Warsaw …
