European leaders taking sides on Belarus domestic dispute cautiously
CGTN
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko chairs a meeting on industrial development, in Minsk, Belarus August 27, 2020. /Reuters

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko chairs a meeting on industrial development, in Minsk, Belarus August 27, 2020. /Reuters

Ukraine has frozen contacts with Belarus, and joined the European Union in condemning the legitimacy of the election. While Poland denied the accusation that the country is planning to take over part of Belarus while the tensions between Warsaw and Minsk escalated after August 9 election. 

Announcing Kiev's suspension of ties with Minsk as it sided with EU in slamming the recent elections as not free or fair, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Friday also added that there was no reason to break off diplomatic relations entirely.

A day earlier on Thursday, EU foreign ministers sought sanctions against Belarus in a bid to pressurize President Alexander Lukashenko to hold new elections as the country's opposition appealed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel for help.

Eager to support mass protests against President Lukashenko, EU ministers are considering travel bans and asset freezes on up to 20 people responsible for a crackdown on demonstrators two weeks after an election they say was rigged.

"The announcement of sanctions has not led to any change in behavior in Belarus," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters, referring to the threat of sanctions made by EU governments after the disputed August 9 election.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during an interview aired on state television, calling on the authorities in Belarus and the opposition to find "common sense to find a way out without resorting to extremes."

On Friday, Krzysztof Szczerski, an aide to Poland's president, said that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's comments are unacceptable, which accused Warsaw may be plotting to seize part of the country if Minsk's political crisis worsened.

Relations between Warsaw and Minsk have become tense in recent days following Lukashenko's suggestions quoted by state news agency Belta that Poland planned to take over the Grodno region bordering Poland and Lithuania if Belarus falls apart.

On Thursday, Poland summoned the Belarus ambassador to protest the "unfounded accusations."

"These comments are unacceptable. No one has such intentions in Poland and this is propaganda," Szczerski told public radio, adding the situation in Belarus is evolving in a negative direction.

News agency Belta reported on Thursday evening that the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Polish Charge d'Affaires to protest against Poland's attempts to interfere in Belarus' domestic affairs.

Belarus has been in turmoil since a presidential election on August 9 that the opposition said was rigged to extend Lukashenko's 26-year rule. 

(With input from Reuters)