Acting German Chancellor Angela Merkel once again called Alexander Lukashenko in connection with the situation on the Belarusian-Polish border, despite the critical reaction on her initiative. During the phone conversation she discussed the support of Minsk in humanitarian relief and the possibility of returning people to their homeland, which the UN and the European Commission are working on, said FRG spokesman Steffen Seibert in Berlin, reports DW.

In addition, Merkel discussed the situation on the border with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. The two heads of government agreed to "closely coordinate German and Polish actions" in this conflict, Berlin reported on the evening of November 17. Merkel emphasized "Germany's absolute solidarity with Poland."

It is noteworthy that acting German Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer will arrive in Warsaw on November 18 to consult with the Polish leadership about the conflict with Belarus. According to him, all the attention of the German government is now focused on stopping the "insidious actions" of the Belarusian regime, which brings migrants to the country in order to ferry them to the EU and Germany. The position of the authorities in Berlin in this situation is unambiguous - support for Poland and the protection of the external borders of the EU, said Seehofer.

Angela Merkel became the first Western leader to call Lukashenko after the presidential election in August 2020. The EU does not recognize their official results and Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus.