Merkel to meet Polish leader to discuss Belarus border stand-off

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was scheduled to meet Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Berlin on Thursday, as his country's border guard registered further attempts by migrants to breach the European Union's border with Belarus.

The EU blames authoritarian Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko for the development of huge crowds of migrants on its external borders in recent weeks.

Lukashenko has repeatedly stressed that in retaliation for EU sanctions against Belarus in the wake of the disputed 2020 presidential election, he will no longer stop anyone crossing Belarusian territory to reach the bloc.

The German government is aware that the situation poses an extreme challenge to Poland, Merkel's spokesperson Steffen Seibert told reporters on Wednesday.

"Poland is being hit particularly hard," Seibert said.

On Thursday, the Polish border guard said there were at least 375 attempts by migrants to breach the border from the Belarusian side and illegally enter the EU.

Near the village of Czeremsza, a group of 232 people damaged the border fence and advanced several metres into Polish territory, a spokeswoman for the agency said. Security forces brought the group back, she added.

Five migrants were hospitalized for exhaustion.

Police said three suspected smugglers were arrested, including two Ukrainians and a Swedish national of Syrian origin. They had been travelling with a total of 14 migrants.

Since Poland does not allow journalists into the border area, the information cannot be independently verified. Fro

On the Belarusian side, about 2,000 people are said to be holding out near the border in an emergency shelter, hoping to get into the EU and ultimately reach Germany.

Belarus' state news agency Belta reported that many are in need of medical assistance, for example because of colds.

Ahead of Thursday's talks in Berlin, Merkel already spoke to Morawiecki on the phone last week and expressed Germany's full solidarity with Poland.

The two leaders plan to speak to the press in the afternoon after their meeting.

Source: DPA

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