Von der Leyen: EU members to expand sanctions against Belarus, instrumentalization of migrants is unacceptable

Last night, the President of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, called on the member states of the European Union (EU) to expand sanctions against the Belarusian authorities, who, as she stated, are responsible for the influx of migrants to the Polish border.

"The instrumentalization of migrants for political purposes is unacceptable," Von der Leyen said in a statement.

In addition to expanding sanctions on Minsk, she said the EU would "explore the possibility of sanctioning and blacklisting airlines from third countries" that bring people to Belarus.

Thousands of migrants gathered at the Belarusian-Polish border trying to enter the EU.

Brussels accuses the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of orchestrating the arrival of migrants at the EU's eastern borders after the EU imposed sanctions on Minsk for brutal repression of the opposition.