elarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday accused the West of waging a "diplomatic war" against the country as EU top diplomats were set to meet in Berlin to discuss sanctions against Belarus' leadership.
Belarusian police have been carrying out a violent crackdown on mostly peaceful protests following a disputed presidential election earlier this month that authorities say gave Lukashenko a landslide victory, with more than 80% of the votes.
Protesters, including a far-reaching movement of striking factory workers, allege that the election was rigged. Lukashenko, 65, has led Belarus for more than a quarter of a century. There have been demonstrations against him every day since the August 9 election.
"There is a diplomatic war," Lukashenko told a meeting of senior officials in Minsk, according to an official transcript. He accused Western powers of seeking to exploit Belarus' instability to annex its territory.
"Have you seen these statements that if Belarus disintegrates, then the Grodno region will go to Poland? They are already talking about it openly, waiting and watching. They will not succeed," Lukashenko said.
Poland's Foreign Ministry has summoned the Belarusian ambassador due to "repeated unfounded accusations from Belarusian authorities towards Poland," Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz wrote on Twitter.
The incumbent president has accused the Western military alliance NATO of amassing forces near the Belarusian border in recent weeks. Poland, which borders Belarus' Grodno region, is a NATO member.
Poland's Foreign Ministry has summoned the Belarusian ambassador due to "repeated unfounded accusations from Belarusian authorities towards Poland," Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz wrote on Twitter.
NATO denies allegations
NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly denied Lukashenko's allegations. Stoltenberg reiterated that stance on the sidelines of a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Thursday.
"NATO has no military buildup in the region, so any attempt to use that as an excuse to crack down on peaceful protesters is absolutely unjustified," Stoltenberg said.
Germany's top diplomat, Heiko Maas, said ahead of the EU meeting that the "repression carried out by Lukashenko has further intensified in recent days."
"We need to look at the sanctions that we are already preparing, whether they are enough or whether, due to current events, we need to do more," Maas said.
