Lukashenko's alliance idea and Poland's grain embargo call
A look back at two political developments reported in the days before 18 September 2023, one in Sochi and one concerning Ukrainian agricultural exports.
What were the political signals reaching Kyiv in the days before 18 September 2023? Two reports stood out, both tied to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
On 15 September 2023, Belarus's president, Alexander Lukashenko, proposed a three-way alliance between Belarus, Russia and North Korea. He made the proposal during a meeting in Sochi, Russia, with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Two days earlier, on 13 September 2023, Poland's prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, called on the European Union to extend its embargo on imports of Ukrainian corn, wheat, sunflower and rapeseed.
The two reports concerned different matters: a proposal for closer ties among Ukraine's adversaries and their partner, and a request from a neighbouring EU member state to keep restrictions on Ukrainian farm goods.
