Putin: Russia Ready to Help in Poland-Belarus Migrant Crisis, No Need to Hold Black Sea Drills

LOCAL NEWS

• Putin says it would be inappropriate to conduct military drills in the Black Sea in response to NATO drills as there is no need to escalate the situation further.
  • Notes that the US & NATO continue to conduct unplanned drills in the area with aircraft carrying strategic weaponry causing "a serious challenge" for Russia
• Putin says Russia is ready to help resolve the migration issue on the Belarus-Poland border. Says Western countries should not try to shift the blame onto Russia, claiming that Aeroflot had nothing to do with transporting migrants.
  • Also says Wester nations were responsible for the conditions that forced the migration crisis and that he never discussed the issue with Lukashenko or sanctioned the threats against the EU gas supply.
  • On Sunday, Poland warned of a possible breakthrough in the fence ahead of the EU meeting on Belarus sanctions today
• Minsk says it is ready to take extreme measures if the EU imposes new sanctions today. Answering the question whether the possibility of cutting off gas supplies to Europe was discussed, Makei said that Minsk would be ready "to take any harsh and extreme measures."
  • Putin says Merkel & Lukashenko have agreed to speak in person on the matter, however