Poland’s prime minister is calling on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to help stay the influx of tens of thousands of migrants gathering at Poland’s eastern frontier. Mateusz Morawiecki is also calling on Poland, along with Latvia and Lithuania, to consider invoking Article 4 of the NATO treaty over the deepening crisis on the eastern flank.
Under Article 4 of the NATO treaty, any ally can request consultations “whenever, in the opinion of any of them, their territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is threatened.”
“It is not enough just for us to publicly express our concern. Now we need concrete steps and the commitment of the entire alliance,” the Polish leader said over the weekend.
Morawiecki pointed out that Poland is protecting the whole EU, not only itself. He added it was clear that the whole bloc should contribute to the funding of an eastern border wall. Morawiecki’s call is triggered by ever-increasing numbers of mostly Middle Eastern and African migrants attempting to gain illegal entry into Poland at various points of its border with Belarus — with the assistance of Belarusian authorities.
Aerial footage provided by the Polish Ministry of Defense shows outnumbered Polish troops at junctures defending the border and illegal immigrants heading from Belarus towards the border accompanied by Belarusian officers. TV crews, including Russian ones, are in tow.