Latvian Foreign Minister Braže meets US special envoy for Belarus — LSM English
In Latvia, Foreign Minister Baiba Braže met with US Special Envoy for Belarus John Coale on September 17. As LSM English reports, the parties discussed ways to counter and prevent the Belarusian regime’s use of migration as a tool of pressure.
Migration and border security
According to Latvia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the use of migration as a tool of pressure poses a threat to the external borders of the European Union and NATO, as well as to regional security. Braže informed the US official about the situation on the Latvian-Belarusian border.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 11,000 attempts at illegal crossing have been prevented at this border. The minister said that the Belarusian regime uses people to exert pressure on Latvia and the EU, and linked this to Russia’s doctrine of war, which, she said, is aimed at weakening the unity of allies, placing an additional burden on border guards, and creating threats to the borders of the EU and NATO.
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Release of political prisoners
Braže also highly appreciated the involvement of Coale and the United States in facilitating the release of political prisoners in Belarus. LSM English notes that at the end of last year, the regime of Alexander Lukashenko released dozens of political prisoners after the United States lifted some sanctions against Belarus. According to the outlet, Coale was involved in mediating this arrangement.
In addition to Latvia’s foreign minister, the US special envoy met with Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs and Chief of the State Border Guard General Guntis Pujāts.
