Is this stupid?
The EU is to finance the construction of centers to house illegal migrants in Belarus. The plans have upset the country's residents and raised concerns in Russia. Minsk is now threatening to stop the project.
Belarus is surely on the list of countries that Putin would like to bring back to Mother Russia.
Belarus' dictator Lukashenko tries to deal with Russia's desire for anschluss by dealing with the West to keep the Bear at bay.
And of course, threatening to cozy up to Russia helps mute Western criticism of Lukashenko's dictatorial ways.
Lukashenko can afford to play this balancing act because Belarus is probably the most important piece of territory in Europe today.
Lukashenko may indignantly deny that his state is a road, but it is. Control of Belarus by Russia would allow a straight shot at northern Ukraine and NATO states Poland and Lithuania.
And the EU in this environment is busy trying to drive Belarus into Putin's arms?
Or is this actually true foreign policy nuance!
Belarus said Thursday it suspected Russia was trying to restore a formal border zone between the two countries, a move it said flouted agreements on freedom of movement and trade and raised questions about Moscow’s real intent.
Belarus spoke out after the publication of three decrees signed by Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), that ordered border zones to be set up in three Russian regions adjacent to Belarus.
In the years after the 1991 Soviet collapse, border controls existed but were removed as the two countries, both former Soviet republics, grew closer again.
Russia has wanted to erase borders with Belarus in their desire to erase the "Bela" part of Belarus and just leave it as just another Russian province--this time closer to Poland and Lithuania.
Is Russia's new interest in borders with Belarus a reaction to the illegal migrant centers the EU is financing in Belarus?
Is this a deliberate EU nuanced policy of deflecting illegal migrants from the EU and driving a wedge between Belarus and Russia as Russia reacts in fear to those migrants heading into Russia itself?
I might have to salute the EU. And here I thought they reserved their best and brightest for screwing America.
