Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has threatened to cut off gas supplies to Europe if sanctions are imposed over an escalating migrant crisis at the country’s western border
The migrant crisis is seeing thousands of people – mostly from Iraq, Syria and Yemen, currently at the border with Poland, enduring freezing conditions in the hope of crossing into the EU.
European officials have since accused Belarus of provoking the crisis as a way to undermine its security, an allegation it denies.
In retaliation, the EU is reportedly planning a fresh package of sanctions.
But on Thursday the country’s long-time authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko warned: “If they impose additional sanctions on us, we must respond”.
“We are heating Europe, and they are threatening us,”
Lukanhesko was referring to a Russian gas pipeline that runs through Belarus and into the EU.
The President’s latest remarks have since raised fresh fears amid worsening natural gas shortages and rising prices in Europe.
