**Russia and Belarus Attempt to Rekindle Migrant Crisis in EU with Help from Libyan Warlord**
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko seem to be revisiting their tactics of creating a migrant crisis within the European Union. According to a recent report by the Telegraph, flights between Libya’s capital city Benghazi and Belarus’ capital Minsk have increased significantly.
This surge in flights has raised suspicions among European Commission officials that Russia and Belarus might be coordinating efforts to create another wave of asylum seekers trying to cross into Europe. The officials claim that this could lead to increased levels of destabilization within the EU.
**A Familiar Tactic**
This is not the first time Putin and Lukashenko have employed this tactic. In the summer of 2021, they orchestrated a similar migrant crisis along Poland’s, Lithuania’s, and Latvia’s borders with the help of Belarusian authorities. This resulted in tens of thousands of asylum seekers attempting to cross into Europe.
The EU countries responded by declaring states of emergency to block the influx of attempted crossings. Analysts later concluded that this migrant crisis served as a distraction for European allies while Russia amassed its troops along Ukraine’s eastern border, leading up to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
**Global Tensions Rise**
As tensions between Russia and the West continue to escalate, Putin is set to hold face-to-face negotiations with US President Donald Trump in Alaska on August 15. Moscow demands that Kyiv cede its eastern territories in exchange for a ceasefire, but European allies have rejected this proposal, insisting they should directly participate in peace talks.
The recent developments come as neighboring EU countries to Russia and Belarus take steps to fortify their borders following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Several countries have withdrawn from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines.
**A Libyan Connection**
Libya’s warlord Khalifa Haftar, who serves as de facto leader of eastern Libya, has been working closely with Russia since the fall of Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad. Russia has elevated its relations with Haftar to ensure a larger presence in North Africa.
The increased flights between Benghazi and Minsk have raised suspicions about potential coordination or facilitation of irregular migration flows. The recent developments suggest that Russia and Belarus are attempting to rekindle their migrant crisis tactics within the EU, potentially destabilizing the region further.
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